


Castle on the Hill

by yoonseh



Category: A.C.E (Beat Interactive Band)
Genre: M/M, Slow Burn, a lot of sappy nostalgic music, childhood friends to lovers au, falling in love with your childhood best friends, im sorry guys but think about what you think slow means and double that, junhee and donghun falling in love too, like i mean, me trying to pass off poetry as writing, soft, some cringy high school scenes, uhhhh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2020-05-31 17:32:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 21,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19430755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yoonseh/pseuds/yoonseh
Summary: “There’s this moment, a moment when everyone knows they’ve found what they live for. Some people find it very young and some find it minutes before they have breathed their last breath of air. We don’t know when it’s going to come or how or even if we’ll truly know that it’s the moment. But it’s the smallest thing and the most soul defining at the same time. And it’ll crash like waves and swallow you whole. As you watch the stars above you spark in the night sky.”Sehyoon meets Byeongkwan and his step-brother Yuchan. Donghun and Junhee follow along. They fall in love through the years, creating their own love and magic in a castle on a hill.I have decided to make a separate twitter for my fics, check out the notes for my handle!





	1. Everything takes me Back

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a work of love and i'm sorry if you don't like slow burn but this will be very slow. But I promise worth it if you give it a shot. It will wander through Byeongkwan and Sehyoon's childhood, high school years and a bit after. Along with the rest of their friends. I hope you enjoy everything I have planned. Oh, I also aged up Byeongkwan and Yuchan a year for specific reasons, like for when they actually start junior high and high school, to me it feels better with the two year age gap!
> 
> I have also decided to make a twitter for my fics. It will not be my main, but a place I will go to talk about my fics and just get all my feelings out. The handle is yoonseh92, please go follow me and send me messages I will love you forever! Please message me or tag me in things there. I will also post the songs I listen to while writing there! If you really want to know my main twitter, dm me and we will see what happens. :)

2015 (21 & 23)

Sehyoon stood atop the hill watching as the waves crashed against the sea below him. He had been here so many times. All the moments piling up like a photo album in his mind. Years and years of times gone by, days and nights blending to form an almost crushing nostalgia. 

He closed his eyes and leaned his whole body back towards the sky, feeling the light mist of the rainstorm that was soon to come pouring down on him. He felt the grass under his toes, having taken his shoes off when he climbed up the tiny mountain. 

He breathed in the air, the salt from the sea tickling his nose and causing tears to gently form in the corner of his eye. It was the smell of home, not of a house but of a place where he belonged. 

He opened his eyes and blinked, confusing the spots from his tightly shut eyes with the bright night stars. He looked out at the ocean and stepped further toward the edge, he wouldn’t jump. He knew this only because he had almost done it before, he also knew he’d never be able to inflict that pain. There were too many people that somehow cared about him, loved him to the point of a soul crushing breakdown. 

Sehyoon checked the watch on his wrist and knew that the time would soon come, he wouldn’t be far behind. He remembered just a little over 20 minutes ago racing to his house, thinking that that would be the moment. Where he would give his whole heart. 

He remembered the way he looked at the house on the left of his, how he knew their stoop like his own. How the house had gotten old and worn but was bathed in so much love he could feel it in his bones. How if he closed his eyes he swore he could hear the laughter and stomping feet of children playing in the backyard. 

He had stopped in front of his own home and his mind wandered and waited and watched memories dance across the acres of land. And then like a shot through him he knew this wasn’t it, this wasn’t the place. 

He had grabbed his old bike and pedaled like he was 10 again, racing his friends down hills and through neighbors houses, yelling at them to slow down. He pushed his legs until he found himself at the edge of a piece of land that was soaked through with his life. 

He had walked up the slanted side, had softly touched the pretend castle, were he had pretended to be pirates and princes and had so many first. The castle that was built way too many years ago. It’s crumbling wood having more character and personality than some of the people Sehyoon had met through the years. He stood on the hill, by the castle as sunset fell over the horizon and listened to the wind.

He stood still as he heard footsteps make their way up and up. He didn’t turn around, he faced the sea and smiled as he heard a huff, heavy breathing. He kept facing the ocean as his moment re shaped itself and happened all over again, the moment where he knew his life had changed. 

He finally turned around and watched the stars shine in his best friend’s eyes and remembered how his life truly began. 

1999 (5 & 7)

Sehyoon was helping his mom in the kitchen, Donghun and Junhee screaming at each other as they played Mario Kart, when he heard a loud engine grunt out as it stopped. He raced to the window in the living room to see for his eyes what he had heard. 

His mother was talking loudly from the kitchen, telling him to get his butt back in the kitchen, but Sehyoon was too much of a curious child. He pressed his chubby face against the window and saw a big u haul pulling up to the house next to his. 

He remembered the neighbors that used to live there, an elderly couple that had a cat that scared Sehyoon into never going past their front porch. He had liked the couple, often receiving treats from them, waving at them as the bus picked him up from school as they sat on their porch and had their morning coffee. 

But they hadn’t been that much fun to be around, no grand-kids for Sehyoon to play with, nobody to hang out with when Donghun and Junhee had to go home after school. 

He watched as another, smaller car pulled up. He figured there was a family inside, possibly, he saw through the windows of the van two adults turning to talk to people in the backseat. Sehyoon hoped they were other kids his age. 

He watched as the adults jumped out of the car and started to open up the back doors. Sehyoon fidgeted as two tiny feet stepped out of the car. A bundle of limbs tumbling out and then another smaller bundle crashing into him. 

Sehyoon laughed as the one he guessed was older tried his best to catch the younger one behind him, but both failed as they flailed to the ground, giggling up a storm. Sehyoon cracked a huge smile as both the boys laughed until what he guessed was their father came over and started untangling them. 

Their mother, again he guessed, had her hands on her hips and looked to be scolding them, but Sehyoon could just catch the smile on her face. She had love in her eyes, Sehyoon always saw it in his own mother. 

He turned around and waved a hand at his two best friends in the living room. “Donghun, Junhee come here.”

Both boys whipped their heads around to look at Sehyoon. Donghun took the opportunity and the distraction to pass up Junhee and win the race. He whooped and hollered as Junhee turned back around and saw what had happened. 

“That’s not fair Hunnie, you cheated.” Junhee pouted and crossed his arms. His eyebrows kneading together as Donghun just laughed. 

“Don’t be like that Junhee-ah.” Donghun said, one of his teeth missing causing it to come out a little garbled. 

Junhee kept pouting and Sehyoon huffed out a breath. “Guys, come here. There’s a family moving into the Jung’s old house.” Sehyoon waved his hand at them to come over. “There’s other kids.” 

Junhee and Donghun got up, curious to what Sehyoon was talking about. Junhee shoved Donghun as they got up, wrestling their way over to where Sehyoon was sitting at the window. 

They both knealed down on opposite ends of Sehyoon and all at once they popped back up into the window and pressed their faces against the glass. They all watched as the family started moving boxes into the house. The two kids Sehyoon had seen were running around in the yard, possibly playing some game of tag. 

The one Sehyoon thought was older, had a cast on his arm and was twirling around on the grass. The smaller one, running around him in circles trying to get him. 

Sehyoon’s eyes brightened and his friends laughed at the sight. Donghun brushed him on the shoulder. “We should go say hi, maybe they know how to play Mario Kart. Maybe Junhee will finally have someone that he can beat.” Donghun’s tiny laughter was cut off by Junhee’s small hands throttling him to the floor. 

Sehyoon rolled his eyes at them, he had learned how to do that very young, getting it from his mother. 

Sehyoon tried to separate them, pushing his hands in between them. “Stop, stop it. You are both so annoying.” 

Finally, his two friends stopped, they were both giggling when they pulled apart. Hair a mess and clothes wrinkled far beyond any hope. Sehyoon turned back to the glass of the window and watched the two boys in the yard. 

He really did want to go say hi, but he was too shy. He had trouble making friends that weren’t Junhee and Donghun. The only reason he was friends with them was because they had known each other since literally they were born. 

Donghun, Junhee and Sehyoon’s parents had all gone to high school together and still lived very close. They were still the best of friends and their kids had never known anything different. 

Junhee was a year younger than Sehyoon and Donghun but they didn’t care that he was only 6 and had just finished kindergarten. Donghun and Sehyoon both loved watching over their younger friend. It made them feel good, they were big 2nd graders now, starting the school year in a couple weeks, and they took on their roll as big brothers to Junhee. 

Sehyoon pressed his face back against the window and wished that he had the courage to go and say hi to the new family, but it scared him. What if they didn’t like him, what if they didn’t like Mario Kart and his Lego houses and what if they didn’t like his favorite pancakes. He couldn’t be friends with someone who didn’t like chocolate chip pancakes. 

He was lost in thoughts about the food when he saw the older one, with the cast be pushed to the ground by some kids Sehyoon only knew as the bullies. They were a group of third graders that liked to ride around on their bikes and terrorize the other kids in the neighborhood. 

The kid with the cast looked up from where he had fallen and had given the bullies the meanest look Sehyoon had ever seen. His little brother whimpering behind him. 

Sehyoon, angry at the bullies already trying to scare the new kids jumped up from his spot by the window and raced to the front door. He heard Donghun and Junhee stomping behind him and then heard his mother yelling his name as he swung the front door open. 

He raced across his yard and to the neighbor’s house. He saw the bullies still hovering over the two kids, they were saying words that Sehyoon wasn’t sure he understood, but knowing that they weren’t kind words. 

The boy with the cast looked like he was trying to not be scared, but Sehyoon could now see he was trembling, still on the ground with his little brother behind him. Sehyoon guessed their parents were inside unpacking their boxes. 

Once he reached the little group, he jumped in front of the boy with the cast and got right up in the bullies faces. Sehyoon didn’t fear them, he had started boxing with his dad this summer, he was also bigger than one of the bullies, big for his age. 

He heard the boy with the cast move around on the grass as he got in the main bullies face. “Why can’t you just leave people alone, what did they do to you, they just got here.” Sehyoon did his best to stay brave and not sound like a little kid, which he still was. 

“You should just leave, before we push you down too.” The main bully shoved Sehyoon in the chest, he stumbled backwards but didn’t back down. He didn’t like mean people, didn’t understand why they had to be like this. 

“No, leave before I scream for our parents. I’ll do it, I don’t care if you think I’m a baby for it.” Sehyoon didn’t move an inch and watched as the boys didn’t move either. He opened his mouth to scream, the boys eyes got wide and they backed up. 

“Okay, but don’t think that this is it.” The main bully said to Sehyoon. He then looked over Sehyoon’s shoulder to catch the boys that were still behind him. “Catch you later brats, this won’t be the last time you see us.” At that the pack of bullies walked away. 

Sehyoon let out a huge breath and looked over to see Junhee and Donghun not far away, wide-eyed, huge grins on their faces.

They ran over to him and started to pat him on the back. “Dude, that was so cool. I wish I was as brave as you.” Junhee hugged Sehyoon, the boy was super clingy but Sehyoon loved hugs so he hugged him back. 

Junhee pulled away and Sehyoon turned around to the kids behind him. He put a hand out for the boy with the cast to grab. He watched him wide-eyed but grabbed it and Sehyoon helped him up. His brother behind him was grinning and jumping up and down. 

Sehyoon didn’t let go of the boy’s hand, he pulled him up and watched him as his smile grew and filled up his face. Sehyoon didn’t know why but he got the urge to protect him, he was a lot smaller than Sehyoon and he wanted to make sure that he was alright. 

“Are you okay, I’m sorry that they did that. They’re mean, I don’t know why.” Sehyoon kept holding the boy’s hand as he watched him. 

The other boy just kept smiling. Sehyoon decided that he should probably tell him his name. “I’m Sehyoon, this is Donghun and Junhee, I live next door.” He pointed to his friends and then to his own house. 

The boy in front of him let go of his hand and said. “Hi, Sehyoon, I’m Byeongkwan. This is my step brother Yuchan, but I call him Channie. I’m five, how old are you?” 

Sehyoon noticed that Byeongkwan had two teeth missing from the front which caused him to whistle a tiny bit when he spoke, Sehyoon liked it. 

“I’m 7, so is Donghun. Junhee just turned 6.” Sehyoon answered Byeongkwan’s questioned and his friend’s smiled at the new boys. 

The boy behind Byeongkwan, Yuchan kept jumping up and down. “I’m 3, but i’ll be-” the kid held up his hand and started to count. He concentrated hard, as he looked at his fingers. “I’ll be-” he thought about it some more as Byeongkwan whispered in his ear. 

Yuchan smiled wide and giggled. “Four, i’ll be four in-” he stopped again. Byeongkwan giggled at him and Yuchan’s eyes got wide. “Christmas, when is Christmas?”

The other boys were all giving him huge smiles. Donghun helped him. “Do you mean your birthday is in December? That’s when Christmas is, mine is close to that too, it is in February.” 

Yuchan nodded his head quickly at Donghun. Byeongkwan smiled at the other boy, Sehyoon watched as his old friends talked with the new kids. He hoped he wasn’t too shy to do that too. 

Sehyoon watched as Junhee and Donghun interacted with the two boys, asking them questions about where they came from and what they liked to do, Donghun was adamant that they all needed to go and play Mario Kart. 

Sehyoon listened as Byeongkwan tried to explain that him and Yuchan were not actually brothers. “Yuchan’s daddy and my mommy are getting married. But we are already brothers, our parents said that it didn’t matter if they were married yet or not, we could already be brothers if we loved each other.” 

Byeongkwan pulled Yuchan into a hug, his tiny arms coming around the smaller boy. “Byeongkwannie is the best big brother ever.” Yuchan giggled as he pulled away from Byeongkwan and ran to Donghun and Junhee. “Hi, do you know how to play tag. It’s hard for Byeongkwan to play because he got a boo boo on his arm.”

Donghun and Junhee nodded. “Yeah, we are so good at tag, we run really fast.” Junhee told Yuchan and then the kid tapped him on the shoulder and yelled your it and raced off around the yard. Donghun and Junhee sprinted after him, screaming and smiling. 

Sehyoon got shy, realizing he was left alone with the boy named Byeongkwan. Sehyoon couldn’t think of anything to say and the other boy was looking at him smiling his wide gapped tooth smile. 

Sehyoon thought he looked like the sun, bright and shining. He was too young to know why but his heart yearned for the small boy. Wanted him to be his friend so badly. 

Sehyoon finally got up the courage to say something. “So, what happened to your arm. Did you break it or something?” Sehyoon closed his mouth tight, that didn’t sound very nice, he thought. 

Byeongkwan just giggled. “Oh yeah, I hurt it real bad, i got a frac- fract-” Byeongkwan stopped and shook his head. “I broke it, it was gross too, the bone was sticking out and it was like a scary movie, the one’s we’re not allowed to see because we’re babies. And there was blood and I tried not to cry but I did, because it hurt. But the nice doctors fixed it and gave me this cool green cast.” He shoved it up near Sehyoon’s face, he moved back a tiny bit, the little kid was very active.

“See, my mommy and Yuchan’s daddy signed it, Yuchan did too, but he doesn’t know how to write so he just scribbled on it. I wrote my name here, I just learned to do that.” Byeongkwan pointed out his name to Sehyoon, it was hard to read and didn’t look much like his name. 

“My name is very long but Mommy taught me how to do the letters and I'm practicing a whole bunch. I get to go to real school this year, they will help me spell my name.” Byeongkwan kept talking and Sehyoon listened as the boy talked about how he broke it at gymnastics. Sehyoon didn’t know what a cartwheel really was but he just nodded. 

Byeongkwan giggled at his confusion. “Do you know what a cartwheel is?” Sehyoon shook his head. 

Byeongkwan just smiled at him and kept talking. “It’s really cool, I always do them right but this time I tripped and fell on my arm.” Byeongkwan’s eyes got wide. “I can show you what they look like, I don’t need both of my arms to do it.” He said this as he shook out his other arm. 

Sehyoon started shaking his head. “You don’t have to that’s okay, I don’t want you to get hurt, your parents would not be happy.” 

Byeongkwan just shook his head and moved away from Sehyoon. “It’s okay, I've done it before.” At that he backed up and then took a running start and did what Sehyoon assumed was a cartwheel. Byeongkwan landed on his feet and then jumped in the air a couple times. 

Sehyoon couldn’t believe what he just saw. “That was really cool, how did you do that?” Sehyoon asked as Byeongkwan came back over to him.

Byeongkwan giggled. Sehyoon really liked his laugh. “I just do it, my coaches taught me, it’s not that hard, maybe I can teach you.” 

Sehyoon started to answer him when he saw two adults come out from the house, Byeongkwan’s and Yuchan’s parents. “Boys, it’s time to come inside, dinner is about to be-” Byeongkwan’s mom started to say when she saw the other boys in the yard. 

“Oh, look here, have we already made some friends.” Yuchan’s dad said as he walked up to the kids. Donghun and Junhee had come to stand by Sehyoon. They all politely bowed to the parents and said hello. 

“Wow, what polite young men we have here.” Byeongkwan’s mom smiled at them. “I’m Mrs. Kim and this is my fiance Mr. Kang. We’re Byeongkwan and Yuchan’s mom and dad.” 

Yuchan and Byeongkwan both tackled themselves into their parents, giggling as they held onto them. Byeongkwan smiled up at his mom. “Mommy, they’re really nice, they saved us from the mean bullies. Sehyoon protected us.” 

Byeongkwan’s mom smirked and looked at Sehyoon. “Is that right?”

Sehyoon smiled shyly. “Yes, ma’m. I didn’t want Byeongkwan or Yuchan to get hurt.” 

Yuchan’s dad smiled. “Well that was very nice of you and we appreciate it. I would love to meet your parents and tell them what nice young men they have raised.”

Sehyoon puffed up at the praise and couldn’t stop smiling. He looked over at Byeongkwan who had the biggest grin on his face. 

“My mom’s home if you would like to meet her, she’s making her special cake if you would like some.” Sehyoon smiled as he motioned for them to follow him. 

Yuchan and Byeongkwan’s parents smiled at each other and followed the young boy. Byeongkwan raced over to Sehyoon and grabbed his hand as the others crossed the grass to the other house. 

Sehyoon looked down at their hands and then looked at Byeongkwan wide-eyed. He held hands with Junhee and Donghun all the time, he couldn't believe this new kid was doing it so easily already. 

Byeongkwan giggled at him. “Do you want to be my new best friend?” 

Sehyoon just smiled and nodded at the boy as they walked the short distance to his house and introduced everyone to his mom. Sehyoon didn’t know but that was the first day of many that were spent laughing in the Kim’s house. He had know idea how much he would treasure those big eyes looking back at him as Byeongkwan held his small hand in his even tinier one. 

\---

School had started almost three weeks ago and Sehyoon was excited to be in second grade with Donghun but the best part of his day was going home. Byeongkwan and Yuchan had been playing with them since the first day they met over a month ago. 

All of their parents becoming friends quickly. There wasn’t a day that went by that Sehyoon didn’t bike home from school with Junhee and Donghun to throw his bike down in the front yard and race to Byeongkwan and Yuchan’s door. 

He would knock and Byeongkwan would be there with a huge smile on his face, just getting home from school too. They played everything from tag to Mario Kart and other video games at Sehyoon’s house, to all five of them running around the yard crashing into each other in the summer sun. 

Saturday dinner with all four family’s was now part of their average week and Sehyoon loved them. Donghun and Junhee’s family would come over and Sehyoon would drag Byeongkwan over early to help his mom cook dumplings and soup. 

They would be covered in flour and dough by the end, Sehyoon’s mom tisking at them to go clean up. They would meet the others outside and the three older kids would ride their bikes around the streets as Byeongkwan and Yuchan ran alongside them doing their best to keep up. 

There were times when Byeongkwan would haul his tiny body up on the back of Sehyoon’s bike and he would ride real slow so the younger boy could feel the wind against his face. Yuchan running and yelling as Donghun and Junhee slowed down for him to keep up. 

Sehyoon, young as he was, had felt many times that now their circle of friends was complete. Yeah, Byeongkwan and Yuchan were younger but so was Junhee and Sehyoon didn’t really mind, he loved being a big brother. He didn’t say it out loud though, Donghun would be upset, seeing himself as the oldest and the best big brother. Sehyoon let him have it, he liked when Donghun looked after him too. 

It was a Saturday and they were all around the dinner table devouring the food Sehyoon’s mom and Byeongkwan’s mom had cooked during the day. They had become extremely close, Sehyoon smiled at how happy they looked laughing together. 

Byeongkwan was sitting next to him, doing his best not to struggle with his cast, he occasionally hit people with it. He was clumsy but Sehyoon didn’t mind. He helped Byeongkwan pick up his chopsticks as they somehow flew out of his hands. Byeongkwan laughed as one hit Junhee accidentally on the face. 

Said boy pouted and started to chuck his at Byeongkwan, who laughed and ducked, but Junhee’s mom scolded him and Junhee frowned and went back to eating. Donghun patted him on the back and Junhee shyly smiled at him. 

Sehyoon handed the chopsticks back to Byeongkwan and helped him with his plate. “Thanks Sehyoonie, I can’t wait to get this stupid cast off. Mommy said that I still have to wait another month. Did you know they have to saw it off, it’s really cool. I’m not scared.” 

Sehyoon just nodded and smiled at him. Their relationship was like that, Byeongkwan would talk and Sehyoon would gladly listen. Byeongkwan understood him, knew that he didn’t like to talk too much. 

After dinner all the boys gathered in Sehyoon’s room as their parents talked in the kitchen. Sehyoon pushed them all into his room and told them to sit down. “Dad got me something really cool.” He reached over to his dresser and pulled out a shoe box. He unloaded it on the floor as the other boys leaned on their hands to look. 

Byeongkwan screeched. “You got new Pokemon cards. That’s so cool, mommy won’t buy me any new ones, she said I have to wait until Christmas.” 

Donghun and Junhee started reaching into the pile and pulling out different cards, naming them off and yelling about their abilities. Sehyoon smiled and watched his friends. His parents were very nice, they liked to spoil him with gifts. Sehyoon loved Pokemon, but not as much as legos, so when his dad got him new cards he thought about giving them to his friends. 

“Yeah, they’re really cool, but it would be even cooler and funner-” Sehyoon started to count out cards, wanting to see how many he had. “Would it be awesome if we could all play with these together.” He finished counting them but he didn’t know how to give everyone the same amount. 

“Uhh-” Sehyoon got up quickly and ran to the kitchen. The other boys were confused but stayed in their spots, Sehyoon was back quickly. “So, my dad said that if everyone gets 10 cards then everyone will get the same.” 

He started counting out 10 for all of them. Junhee grabbed his hand. “Wait, are you giving us these?” Junhee smiled. “Sehyoonie that is super nice.” 

Sehyoon just smiled and started handing out cards. Yuchan held them to his chest in his chubby hands. He didn’t know how to play with them yet, but he thought they were super cool. 

“Well yeah, if I have all the cards then how are we supposed to play. That would be no fun.” Sehyoon thought it was an easy decision. 

Byeongkwan grabbed his cards and then launched himself at Sehyoon. “Yoonie-ah, you are the best friend ever. I don’t know how to play with these yet but you can teach me.” 

Sehyoon just hugged him back and smiled. The boys spent the rest of the night playing with the cards, doing their best to teach the younger ones how to play. 

\---

The months rolled in and the boys were closer than ever. They spent so many days together after school and on the weekends their parents thought they would never be able to separate them. 

When it was still hot they all went to the pool and Sehyoon did his best to show Byeongkwan how to swim, he didn’t quite catch on but Sehyoon didn’t mind staying in the shallow end. Byeongkwan said that his parents were going to get him swimming lessons. They played every video game that they owned together and created a club to play Pokemon. 

It was just in Sehyoon’s room and it was just the five of them, but it was special to them. It was their own hiding place, where they went to be together. 

Their parents all went out together on the weekends and left the boys with many different babysitters, usually teenagers from the neighborhood. They were hard to handle kids but Sehyoon was always calm enough and liked to help. 

He always knew how to calm Byeongkwan down and Donghun and Junhee had a talent for getting Yuchan to settle down and usually nap. 

Sehyoon would always just go find a seat on the couch when everything got to chaotic and would wait until Byeongkwan noticed he was gone. Byeongkwan would whine that he was not being fun, he needed to play. Sehyoon would just smile at him and say that he wanted to rest for a bit and watch some cartoons. 

Byeongkwan always sighed but settled beside him, pushing his small body up to Sehyoon’s and cuddling next to him. They would lay curled up together under a blanket on the couch until the rest of them joined, Yuchan usually flopping down on the floor and immediately following asleep. His parents would have to carry him home when they came to pick them up. 

Byeongkwan would always fall asleep on his shoulder and Donghun, Junhee and him would stay up as late as they could get away with and watch anime with their babysitter. Sehyoon didn’t mind the younger boys falling asleep, they were still like babies. 

The months passed by and Sehyoon couldn’t remember a time without Byeongkwan and Yuchan, they were always around. Sehyoon never wanted them to move, he always wanted to be able to run over to the house next door, knock and have Byeongkwan sprinting out to him. He was his best friend and Sehyoon loved him with his whole heart. 

\---

Christmas came and with it Yuchan’s birthday. Sehyoon was lonely around Christmas, all of his friends had to go see their families. Yuchan and Byeongkwan’s family went to see their grandparents, they were far away, they were gone from the 23rd until the 30th. It was the longest they had ever been apart since they met. Donghun and Junhee stayed close, but they still didn’t hang out much over the holiday. 

On the 31st Sehyoon heard a knock on his door, he yelled that he was going to get it and sprinted to the door. When he opened it he saw Byeongkwan’s toothy smile and Yuchan next to him holding a birthday balloon. Their parents were behind them, a cake and grocery bags in their hands. 

Sehyoon smiled wide and opened his arms as Byeongkwan ran into him. The smaller boy had gotten his cast off months ago and was just as rambunctious as he could be. He almost knocked Sehyoon down with his strength. 

Sehyoon hugged him tight to his small frame. “Kwannie, you’re back.” He pulled away as he said it. 

Byeongkwan pulled him back into a hug. “Sehyoonie I missed you, that was way too long to go away.” He looked at his mom. “Mommy, let’s never do that again, we have to take Sehyoonie with us if we do, that was like a year.” 

His mom laughed at him and ruffled his hair. “I’m sure it wasn’t that long, although it looks like you have grown Sehyoon.” 

Sehyoon puffed up and stood tall. He was growing, he was bigger than all his friends. He looked at Byeongkwan. “It’s okay, you’re back now.” He turned to Yuchan and hugged the youngest. “Happy birthday, Channie. You’re four now, wow you are so big.” 

Yuchan smiled and squeezed Sehyoon. “Yoonie, Yooonie, guess what we got for my birthday?”

They all started to walk into the house as Yuchan chattered away at Sehyoon, Byeongkwan grabbing Sehyoon’s hand on the way in. “Mommy and Daddy bought us a chocolate chip cake. It looks so yummy, I can’t wait to smash my face into it.” Yuchan giggled as his dad scooped him up in his arms and tickled him. “You will do no such thing mister.” 

They all went to the kitchen to greet Sehyoon’s parents. Sehyoon dragged Byeongkwan into the living room. They had to get Junhee and Donghun over there too. Sehyoon yelled around the living room into the kitchen. “Mommy, is it okay if I call Donghun and Junhee?”

His mom peeked into the living room. “Yes, of course sweetheart. Ask them if they want to stay over for New Year’s too, we can have a little sleepover.” 

Sehyoon smiled wide and Byeongkwan jumped up and down beside him. They called Junhee and Donghun and of course their parents agreed. Both families would head over to the Kim’s and they would have New Year’s together. 

It was great, they had tons of sweets and sang happy birthday to Yuchan as he blew out his candles. He said his wish out loud, but nobody told him you weren’t supposed to do that. He did smash his face into the cake and laughed until he cried as the other boys laughed with him. 

They all gathered around for dinner and then they all sat around in the living room as they told stories about Christmas. The boys all sat on the floor in a circle talking about their new presents and what they missed as the parents chatted quietly on the couches. 

Yuchan fell asleep way after his bed time, but before midnight. Sehyoon could feel his eyes drooping, trying to stay awake. Byeongkwan’s eyes would close for minutes at a time before they would snap open and he would run around the living room trying to stay awake. 

Their parents had decided that if they could they would be allowed to stay up for New Year’s. Donghun and Junhee were piled in a corner, asleep on top of each other and when Sehyoon asked for the time his dad said it would be midnight very soon. 

He went over to shake the other two awake as Byeongkwan rode around on his back. Byeongkwan loved piggy back rides. The other two woke up quickly and they all raced around the house, their parents yelling at them to slow down. 

They soon heard their parents yelling for them to come into the living room since they only had one minute until midnight. Sehyoon thought that was a long time but he dragged the others with him. 

His parents said they were going to count down when there were 10 seconds left. Sehyoon had done this one other time, his parents always kissed each other at one, they said it was to bring in the New Year with love. 

He loved all his friends, he wondered if he should kiss them too or give them hugs. He heard his mom get his attention and all the parents said it was time. They started to count down. 10, 9, 8. Sehyoon looked at Junhee and Donghun who were giggling. 7,6,5,4. He saw Yuchan still cuddled up on the couch asleep, no clue what was happening. 3,2. He looked at Byeongkwan who was smiling huge, watching his parents. 

One. Sehyoon screamed it and watched as the parents kissed each other, he giggled. He felt two small arms wrap around his neck, Byeongkwan was hugging him and yelling in his ear. He hugged the other boy back. 

Byeongkwan pulled back and looked at their parents and then softly kissed Sehyoon on the cheek. Sehyoon gasped and looked at his mom. She was smiling at him. “It’s okay Sehyoonie, you can kiss your friends on the cheek too or give them hugs.”

Sehyoon smiled at his mom and reciprocated the kiss on Byeongkwan’s cheek and then proceeded to kiss Junhee and Donghun too. Junhee giggled and gave him a sloppy one back. Donghun made a yuck noise but Sehyoon could see him smiling. 

He had never felt happier, he was only 7, but this was his happiest moment so far. 

\---

New Year’s passed and so did Donghun’s birthday, the boy turning eight and showing off his age. They all grew closer and closer as the months flew by. Sehyoon was doing very well in school, learning to read, him and Donghun practising with Junhee all the time. He even read to Byeognkwan and Yuchan. Byeongkwan was learning to read too, he was super smart, but he could only read the baby books so far. 

Sehyoon read to them every time they had a sleepover. They would all curl up in their sleeping bags and him and Donghun would read to them. They couldn’t read the big books, but found they could read the books with the fun pictures, his teacher had told them they were graphic novels. He called them comic books. 

Byeongkwan really liked books with any kind of sea animals. He was, as he always said, going to marry the sea. Sehyoon had giggled at him and they had pretended to be sea creatures at a wedding. Sehyoon marrying Byeongkwan to his fish plushies. 

Byeongkwan loved the ocean and they took many trips to the beach, the younger boy digging his toes in the sand and making friends with crabs and finding a home in the waves. 

He got goldfish in March and Sehyoon would have rathered his best friend got a puppy, but the fish were pretty and they made Byeongkwan smile wide. They would all sit and watch the fish, making kissy faces at them and coming up with ridiculous names for them. Byeongkwan was very good at taking care of them. 

No disasters had struck the group yet, but in late April Sehyoon found himself sitting in a chair outside the principal’s office. His knuckles were a bit bloody and there were tear tracks on his cheeks. Byeongkwan sat next to him, crying and holding Sehyoon’s not bloody hand. 

“I’m sorry, Sehyoonie. This is my fault.” Byeongkwan sobbed as Sehyoon just patted his back with his bloody hand. 

“Kwannie, it’s not your fault. I did it because they were being mean, they wouldn’t stop, I had to stop them.” Sehyoon said to the younger boy, he didn’t want him to think that it was his fault. 

The nurse came out of the Principal’s office with ice and a bandage. She kneeled down in front of Sehyoon. “You are being very good Sehyoon, very tough. Would you let me clean that for you and put a wrap on it?”

Sehyoon nodded at the nurse. He squeezed Byeongkwan’s hand. The nurse smiled at him and looked at Byeongkwan as she got to work disinfecting his hand. It burned, but Sehyoon was going to be brave. 

“Byeongkwan, you are being a very good friend right now, I think that Sehyoon really appreciates how you are helping him.” The nurse said kindly to Byeongkwan as she finished up wrapping Sehyoon’s hand. 

Byeongkwan shrugged. “How am I helping him, he’s the one that helped me. I’m just crying like a baby.” 

The nurse brushed Byeongkwan’s hair out of his face. “Sometimes-” She paused and looked at Sehyoon and turned back to the younger boy and caught his eye. “Sometimes just being there to hold someone’s hand is more important than anything else.”

Byeongkwan smiled at her, his eyes were still watery, but he sat up straight. The nurse brushed her hand through his hair again and did the same to Sehyoon as the principal came out of her office. 

“Mr. Kim, would you please come in now, I just want to talk to you about what happened. I promise it’ll be okay.” The principal held out a hand for Sehyoon to grab and Sehyoon followed her. She saw Byeongkwan stand up. 

“Byeongkwan, I need to speak with Sehyoon alone right now, but you can wait right here for him.” The principal said kindly. Byeongkwan sat back down, the nurse sat down in the chair next to him, she told him she would stay with him. 

Sehyoon walked into the principal’s office, hands pulled up to his chest. He softly sat down in one of her plush chairs and looked around, he had never been there before. The principal didn’t sit behind her desk, but in a chair next to Sehyoon. She watched him look at her with watery eyes as he held his bandaged hand. 

“Now, Sehyoon, why don’t you tell me why you hit Jinsu in the face on the playground.” The principal waited patiently as Sehyoon looked up at her and started to tell her what had happened. 

“We were on the playground, it was a special day were Kindergarten was out there with the older kids. I don’t really know why but everyone was out there. Well not fourth or fifth grade, they were still inside.” Sehyoon started. “Uhm, I was playing with Junhee, Donghun and Byeongkwan. We’re all really good friends. We don’t care that Byeongkwan is only five or that Junhee is in first grade. We are best friends.” 

The principal smiled at Sehyoon, he was a very sweet kid. “We were on the swings and I was pushing Byeongkwan, he knows how to pump his legs but he likes me to push him higher. We were swinging and then Jinsu and his friends came over and they started yelling at us. Telling us that our time was up on the swings.”

Sehyoon sniffled and rubbed his nose. He looked around the room and out the window. He turned back to the principal and looked down. “I told him that we had only been at the swings for like a minute.” Sehyoon huffed. “We get like five minutes, the teachers tell us that we all need to take turns and we do so they gave us extra time.” 

Sehyoon’s eyes started to water again. “We told them we would get off soon but they kept yelling at us to stop. I stopped pushing Byeongkwan but he didn’t want to get off the swing, he said it wasn’t fair, I hadn’t had a turn yet. I didn’t really care, I didn’t want to get in trouble.” 

Sehyoon fidgeted in his seat and played with his bandage. “I told Byeongkwan that we could go play on the slide but he didn’t want to leave, so I stayed with him, the others stayed too. Byeongkwan pushed in front of me and started to tell Jinsu and his friends that they needed to stop bullying him. That he had learned what it meant from his teacher and it was bad.” 

Sehyoon started to cry. “I didn’t know that they had been mean to Byeongkwan before, but he told me after that they picked on him all the time, he just never told me, he said he was scared that they might pick on me too. He said they pick on him because he’s small and likes to wear bright colors. He painted his nails and came to school one day, I thought they looked cool, they were pretty but he said Jinsu called him a nasty name and pushed him. I didn’t know.” 

Sehyoon started to cry harder and was wiping his eyes constantly trying to finish. “I told Jinsu that he didn’t need to talk to Byeongkwan, but he just kept saying mean things. Finally, Byeongkwan started to cry and Jinsu called him a baby, Byeongkwan didn’t like that. He got up in Jinsu’s face, but Byeongkwan is small and Jinsu pushed him to the ground.” 

Sehyoon took the tissue the principal handed him and wiped his face. “I’m sorry Mrs. I shouldn’t have punched him but I got very angry, he can’t push Byeongkwan, that’s not fair or nice. I know punching isn’t nice either, I was wrong like Jinsu, but I wanted him to stop being mean.” 

The principal sighed and got Sehyoon to look her in the eye. “You’re right, you shouldn’t have punched him in the face. I’m very disappointed that you did that, but also happy that you stood up for your friend. You will have to receive a punishment, you understand that right?” 

Sehyoon nodded as she kept talking. “But so will Jinsu and the teachers will know to make sure that Byeongkwan isn’t bothered by him again. Thank you for telling me.” The principal got up from the chair and walked around her desk. “I already called your parents, they are on their way, we are going to talk about this more okay. But your dad says you are taking boxing classes, I think that is very good for you Sehyoon, let some of that anger out.”

Sehyoon nodded and stayed in his chair. The principal smiled at him. “You can go sit outside with Byeongkwan until they get here Sehyoon.” She nodded to the door, he got up but she called his name. “Sehyoon-” He turned towards her. “You are a very good friend, never stop sticking up for your friends.” 

Sehyoon smiled softly at her and left her office. He went back to sit with Byeongkwan, their hands intertwining, finding comfort together. 

\---

It was Summer again, school had ended and Sehyoon graduated second grade without any more incidents. He took boxing with his dad and got out any anger he had. They were going for a picnic today to celebrate Junhee’s birthday. 

His parents said there was a spot on top of a hill that they used to go as teenagers. It was beautiful and overlooked the sea. Byeongkwan had screamed and hadn’t shut up about it for days. He couldn’t wait to see the ocean from up high. 

They all drove in two cars to the beach, the parents unloading the cars as the boys all scattered around and stood awed at the hill. It looked like a mountain to them, their eyes shining bright. 

Once their parents unpacked, they guided them up the hill, the boys running with their small legs up the steep climb. When they reached the top Sehyoon watched Byeongkwan run and spin around, his eyes closed and smiling. Sehyoon breathed in the summer air, the salt from the sea tickling his nose. 

They all ran around, the wind catching their clothes and hair. They laid out the picnic and joined their parents. They gathered around the towel and enjoyed a meal of sandwiches and fresh fruit and homemade lemonade. 

They gave presents to Junhee, he was turning 7, it was a big deal. They ate ice cream cake and sang him happy birthday. His smile was toothy and big. All the boys tackled him to the ground in a hug, but only after they all grabbed a piece of birthday cake to smash in his face.

When they finished, Sehyoon’s dad and Junhee’s mom called them over, they were huddled in a spot near a group of trees. The boys raced over to them and were left speechless when they saw what the parents wanted to show them. 

It was an intricate treehouse and fort situated between and in the trees. Junhee’s mom scooped up little Yuchan and let him brush his fingers along the trees. She smiled at the others as they gathered around. “This is the castle on the hill, it was built a long time ago by your dad’s. She looked at Sehyoon, Junhee, and Donghun. 

“We wanted a place to go to escape, we thought this would be really cool.” Sehyoon’s dad spread his arms out to the castle behind him, Sehyoon thought it was so beautiful. “Our other friends thought we were silly and too young to be making a treehouse, but we thought it was awesome.” 

Junhee’s mom buried her face in Yuchan’s hair, he giggled, she grabbed Sehyoon’s dad’s hand and smiled. “This place brought us all together and made us a family. We still come here today. We hope that this can be your place too, to grow your friendship. It’s filled with magic.” 

He leaned down to the boys. He got down on their knees as they gathered around. “Do you know what kind of magic?” All the boys looked at him wide-eyed. “Love.” he said simply, matter of fact. 

The boys giggled and Sehyoon sat wide-eyed. His heart too big for the moment. His dad brushed a hand through his hair and bent down to kiss him on his head. “It’s yours now, fill it up with magic every time you enter, okay.”

The boys all nodded energetically. Junhee’s mom set Yuchan down and the parents started to walk away. 

Donghun turned around and asked them, “Where are you going? Do we get to play?”

Junhee’s mom laughed and stopped, she smiled at the boys. “Yes, of course. It’s all yours. Go and play. Be careful. We won’t be far.” 

The boys whooped and hollered as the parents left to go back to the picnic. They all ran up to the treehouse, their very own castle. 

Byeongkwan looked at Sehyoon and grabbed his hand. He smiled at him. Sehyoon thought he had enough love to fill up the castle forever and ever.


	2. You're my Friend when I'm in Need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years: 2000-2001. Byeongkwan and Sehyoon grow even closer. Starting at ages 6 and 8 then ending at ages 7 and 9 they push through a wedding, even when it's your parents it's still gross to watch adults kiss. One of them learns to ride a bike, scrapes are par for the course. Shrek comes out to everyone's enjoyment, lego houses are built, fish are met and a new life comes into the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please Read!!!: I love y'all so much and omg I can't believe I'm actually publishing on this fic. I didn't lie when I said this was going to be a labor of love. Around the time I started this I got bad news about a job opportunity and kind of lost all the momentum that I had. Then I moved and somehow lost my timeline for this fic, which was hard cause I had planned it out until they were in their teens. I felt like that in itself was too much work so I pushed this off. But I got a renewed hope for it and just felt like coming back here and giving y'all this. I hope it's good and that we can all show this fic some love. 
> 
> Here are some notes before we get started, sorry if they're long. 
> 
> First of all ages: I just wanted y’all to know I did technically age the characters up in a weird way. Byeongkwan’s birth year in this fic is 94 and Sehyoon and Donghun were born in 92 and Junhee 93. Yuchan was born in 95. I was born in 92 so these years are easier for me to relate to! It doesn’t really affect much just that bk wasn’t born in 96 here. I'm big on timelines and knowing exactly what year or even month things are happening so here you go! 
> 
> Song List: Songs for this chapter; so i’ve started a new thing, i’m only going to recommend songs that came out in the years i’m writing in so, have fun with these throwbacks guys. If you were born after 2000, wow you missed some jams. The title for this chapter came from Angel by Shaggy, which I literally listened to for most of this process. 
> 
> The whole “No Strings Attached” album by NSYNC  
> The whole “Oops! I did it again” album by Britney Spears  
> Breathe: Faith Hill (this song has a special place in my heart)  
> Say my Name: Destiny’s Child  
> I hope you dance: Lee Ann Womack  
> We about to get a little emo y’all in 2001  
> Hanging by a moment: Lifehouse  
> Drops of Jupiter: Train  
> Ride wit Me: Nelly  
> Lady Marmalade: Christina Aguilera  
> The Way You Love Me: Faith Hill  
> Never had a dream come true: S Club 7  
> Angel: Shaggy, Rayvon*  
> That will be all but just look up these years, there were a lot of bangers! 
> 
> Okay now that i've said all that, please enjoy!

2000 (6 & 8)

Sehyoon gulped in a huge breath of air as he came to the surface of the pool. He was immediately assaulted by a huge splash of water, the force throwing him backwards. He laughed as he got his footing and watched as Byeongkwan climbed out of the water and threw his head back to the sun. 

Sehyoon watched the boy laugh as his little brother, Yuchan, giggled from the side of the pool. Apparently he had pushed the older boy in, causing a ruckus. 

Byeongkwan had learned to swim that summer and now on his 6th birthday he was almost an expert at it. They were over at Donghun’s house celebrating his birthday. 

Sehyoon loved wading through the pool and listening to his friends play around him. At eight he was still shy and would rather watch than participate, but his friends understood that and made sure to include him in their playtime. He watched them tackle each other in the water; Donghun had Junhee in a headlock and the younger was trying his best not to get pushed under the surface.

Junhee had wrapped his legs around Donghun’s waist and his arms were flailing; he was screaming for dear life. Finally giving him an out, Donghun loosened his hold and Junhee immediately dunked himself under the water.

Sehyoon waited as he disappeared, a huge smile on his face - he knew what the younger was doing. Donghun searched the water for his friend, who had seemingly vanished. Sehyoon watched as Junhee swam up behind Donghun and before he knew it the boy was jumping on the older. 

Donghun screeched and flailed as the others all laughed. Their parents were sitting on the deck watching them and shaking their heads. They were the only ones at the party, as Byeongkwan hadn’t wanted to invite anyone else. He had other friends at school but he wanted to spend time with his family, and he considered Donghun, Junhee and Sehyoon part of it. 

Sehyoon watched Byeongkwan swim over to him - he was wading in the deeper end of the pool by the small waterfall that overlooked the side by the trees. Sehyoon smiled at the younger as he did his best not to struggle, and when he got close enough Sehyoon grabbed Byeongkwan’s arm, pulling him closer. 

Byeongkwan grabbed the edge of the pool and held on so that he wouldn’t have to doggy paddle; he was a lot shorter than Sehyoon and his legs weren’t as strong. Byeongkwan stared at Sehyoon, the younger had been bugging him, wanted to know what he was getting for his birthday. 

Sehyoon had kept his mouth shut - he didn’t want to ruin the surprise. He had worked on the gift for a long time and he really hoped that Byeongkwan liked it. Said boy was pouting and swimming closer to him. 

Byeongkwan hugged Sehyoon and gave him puppy eyes. “Please Sehyoonie, I want to know. It’s killing me, I've been waiting for so long.”

Sehyoon giggled at his friend and hugged him back. “You’ll know soon Kwannie. I got you something big for a big birthday.” Byeongkwan pulled away, still with a pout on his face. Sehyoon smiled widely at him. “You’re six now, you have to learn to be patient. 

The younger just humphed and crossed his arms. Sehyoon thought he looked adorable. Byeongkwan started splashing the water around them, pretending to throw a temper tantrum. Sehyoon had seen him throw a real one. He was good at faking it. *

Sehyoon was laughing as he got splashed when he heard Byeongkwan’s mom call her son’s name. “Kim Byeongkwan what do you think you are doing? You are far too old to be whining.” Sehyoon could tell she was teasing - the smile on her face gave her away. 

“But Mom, Sehyoonie won’t tell me what he got me for my birthday. I want to know.” Byeongkwan dragged out the ‘w’ as he thrashed around in the water. He really was a baby - sometimes more than even Yuchan could be, and he wasn’t even in kindergarten yet! 

Byeongkwan’s mom just shook her head and got up from her seat under the porch. She walked over to the end of the pool the boys were closer to, bringing a towel with her. 

When she reached them she winked at Sehyoon and the boy got the message; he made sure that Byeongkwan couldn’t go anywhere when his mom reached her arms into the pool. She scooped up her son, with him still scrambling to get out of her arms.

Byeongkwan was still small for his age, Sehyoon had heard their parents saying that Yuchan would probably surpass the older before they reached 5th grade. 

Byeongkwan’s mom held her grip on her struggling son as she wrapped the towel around him and threw him over her shoulder. She was strong and Sehyoon thought that she was better than the Wonder Woman he read about in his comics. 

Sehyoon giggled as Byeongkwan finally accepted his fate and covered his face with his hands as his mom carried him over her shoulder to the porch. The rest of his friends made their way over to the edge of the pool and watched the rest of the scene play out. Junhee had scrambled onto Donghun’s back. 

Sehyoon swam over to them and Yuchan attached himself to his back, climbing on, kicking Sehyoon in the shin in the process. The younger muttered an apology but Sehyoon just reached back and patted him on the head. 

They all watched as Byeongkwan was deposited in a chair and did his best to keep his pout and crossed arms. He looked to be finding it difficult to stay upset. He waited until his mom put a hand on her hip and pointed a finger at him before he sat up straight. 

“Now, Kwannie baby, if you want that cake of yours-” His mom didn’t have to say anything else before Byeongkwan was clapping his hands and jumping out of his chair. 

“Yes, please. I’ll be good mommy I promise.” Byeongkwan gave her a sweet smile and rushed to hug her. She laughed as she placed a kiss on his forehead. She motioned for Yuchan’s dad to help her with the cake as they went inside the house. Donghun’s mom went in too to get all the silverware and plates. 

The rest of the parents helped move all the presents onto the picnic table and talked as the kids got out of the pool to dry off. Sehyoon sniffled and wiped his nose as he got out, helping Yuchan to jump out of the pool. Junhee had secured his place on Donghun’s back.

Sehyoon laughed as Donghun tried to get out of the pool with Junhee on his back still. The oldest made it to the stairs before he tripped and Junhee was thrown back into the water. A chorus of laughter made it way through the backyard. 

Donghun was on his hands and knees on the steps trying not to cry from laughter as tiny Junhee burst from the water. The pout on his face only caused Donghun to laugh more. 

He walked over to Junhee and offered his back again. The other shoved him away and made his way up the steps. Donghun jumped on his back as soon as they both made it out of the water.

All the boys’ eyes were drooping once they made their way over to the table - swimming was hard work and Sehyoon was ready for a nap. However, he wanted to make sure that Byeongkwan got his present, he didn’t want to miss it. 

They all wrapped themselves in towels and spread out around the table. Byeongkwan pulled Sehyoon over to sit next to him, and he gladly settled himself close to his best friend. 

Byeongkwan grabbed Sehyoon’s hand and leaned into him. “How excited are you for the cake? Mommy said all of our mom’s made it together and that it’s going to taste amazing because it has so much love in it.”

Sehyoon nodded his head. “My momma makes everything with love, you know how good her desserts are.” Sehyoon knew that love wasn’t what made the desserts good - he was eight after all - but Byeongkwan still believed love made the world go around. 

Byeongkwan’s eyes lit up and he squeezed Sehyoon’s hand as the parents came out singing, holding the birthday cake. He started clapping their hands together and bounced in his chair, Sehyoon sat still next to him.

The cake was placed in front of Byeongkwan and the boy couldn’t control the huge smile that spread across his face. Sehyoon was afraid that one day it would crack and he wanted to push it down just the tiniest bit, tell Byeongkwan to save some of it for later. 

As the others sang, Byeongkwan stood at the table and hopped from one foot to the other. When they ended the song he blew on his candles harshly and Sehyoon watched as they flickered out. He looked up to his best friend’s face and watched as his eyes opened wide, he hoped he had made a good wish. 

Sehyoon’s dad came around with forks for the boys and Donghun’s dad cut the cake and put it on plates. Their mom’s handed out the pieces to the boys, Byeongkwan forgoing the fork and using his hands. 

Yuchan giggled at his brother and Junhee followed along. Donghun tried to hold in his smile but he failed; the boy often wanted to act older than he actually was. Sehyoon used his fork to eat his cake but wished he could be like Byeongkwan and just throw it aside. He wasn’t impulsive like Byeongkwan was, everything he did had to be thought through. 

He didn’t have the confidence the younger had most of the time, that’s where they differed. That’s why, even though Byeongkwan was younger, Sehyoon looked up to him sometimes. He decided to be like Byeongkwan for once.

He ran a finger through his plate and picked up some icing, he waited for Byeongkwan to lift his head up from his hands and wiped the icing across his cheek. The boy had somehow kept his face clean, but now it was dirtied with the sugar. 

Byeongkwan’s eyes got wide and he looked over at Sehyoon. “Yoonie, how dare you. I now have to avenge myself.” 

Sehyoon didn’t have time to wonder where a six year old Byeongkwan had heard the word avenge - probably Star Wars. The younger picked up a huge piece of cake and Sehyoon saw where he was going with this. 

He scrambled out of his seat and started to run, the parents yelled at him to slow down, but he couldn’t. Byeongkwan was fast and came up on him a lot faster than he expected. He was tackled to the ground by his tiny body, Sehyoon letting himself fall to make sure Kwan didn’t get hurt. 

Sehyoon rolled on the ground and got cake to the face. He sputtered as he saw Byeongkwan leaning over him, head haloed by the sun. Sehyoon just looked at him as the younger boy laughed until he fell to the ground beside him. 

Sehyoon watched him, cake all over his hands and face and cracked a smile. Before he knew it, he was rolling over laughing. He barely heard the other boys come over, but soon his stomach hurt from laughing as he watched all his friends smash cake into his best friend’s face. 

Birthdays were seriously the best. He looked over to the parents and saw them smiling, though he wouldn’t truly know why until years later.

\---

After the boys were subjected to showers to wash off the icing and mess they sat around the living room to open Byeongkwan’s presents. He had scattered wrapping paper all over the floor around him, creating a path to his body. 

The presents were piled up next to him. He had gotten so many cool things. Sehyoon was waiting for him to open the present he had worked on. He had made most of it himself and hoped that Byeongkwan really liked it. 

Finally, Byeongkwan opened the last present from his parents and grabbed Sehyoon’s. He brought it up to his ear and shook it. He couldn’t hear anything - Sehyoon knew that. Byeongkwan eyed him suspiciously but he just shrugged his shoulders and smiled. 

Byeongkwan put it on the floor for a second and stared at it before ripping into it. After getting all the paper off, he was left with a box? He made sure to not tear through the box - he had tried but his mom had tisked at him to be gentle and slow down. 

Byeongkwan removed the tape from the box gently and pulled it open. He cocked his head to the side at what he saw inside, not sure of what it was. He pulled it out with his small hands and flipped it over. 

On the front he read the letters slowly. Sehyoon had made them easy to read, since his friend was still learning. He watched as Byeongkwan mouthed them out and then how his head shot up to look at Sehyoon. 

“Kwannie’s Secret Pokemon Treasure” The boy read aloud so that everyone knew what the present said. It was what looked to be a photo album, Sehyoon had glued down puffy letters to the front, his mom having helped him with the hot glue gun. 

Byeongkwan gently opened it and gasped. “Yoonie these are your cards.” It wasn’t a question, he just looked at Sehyoon with a wondrous look on his face. Sehyoon nodded his head and Byeongkwan shook his as he closed the album. 

“These are yours, I can’t have these. We broke your piggy bank so you could buy more. These are for you.” Byeongkwan was in disbelief - these were a treasure and his best friend was just giving them to him. 

Sehyoon pushed the album back towards Byeongkwan and smiled. “I want you to have them. I know that they were mine, but I asked my parents and they said that it was okay.” Neither boy could see but both of their parents were watching with watery eyes. There was so much love already between their sons, it wasn’t something that they could teach. 

Byeongkwan’s mom grabbed Sehyoon’s mom’s hand. Ever since they had come along she knew she would never have to worry about her son not having a friend. She knew that Sehyoon was something special, their bond wasn’t replicable. She knew Sehyoon would always keep her son safe even at such a young age. 

Both women smiled at each other and squeezed their hands together; it made their hearts full to watch the kindness presented before them. 

Byeognkwan was still shaking his head, he wasn’t one to reject a gift, but this was too special.

Sehyoon insisted, “Kwannie I really want you to have them. You play with them more than I do and so does Yuchannie. Anyways when I come over we can play with them together, but you like them more than I do. They make you smile.” 

Byeongkwan hugged the album to his chest, his eyes getting watery. He wasn’t embarrassed to cry - he didn’t think it made him a baby anymore. He let tears slip as he gently placed the album down and rushed to hug Sehyoon. 

He sniffled into his shoulder as he thanked him. “Thank you Yoonie, you’re the best friend ever. I love you.” 

Sehyoon patted him on the back and didn’t let go. He felt the other boys come over to hug them too. It was a cuddly moment until Yuchan yelled “Doggy Pile” and pushed his little body until they had toppled over. 

They laughed until it hurt, Junhee and Donghun tackling Sehyoon and doing their best to tickle him. They eventually wore themselves out and settled. 

Their parents brought out the sleeping bags and set up the living room. A movie was put on as the boys got comfortable and cuddled up together. It couldn’t have been more than 30 minutes before all five of them were sound asleep in a pile on the floor. 

Their parents watched on and smiled. Sehyoon’s mom turned off the light as they all made their way outside. They sat around the porch with a bottle of wine and listened to the crickets in the distance. Donghun’s dad broke the silence. “We got lucky didn’t we, with our kids?”

Donghun’s mom grabbed his hand and nodded her head. “I think we really did. They’re so young but I feel like they’ve already found what we didn’t until we were teenagers.”

Yuchan’s dad looked at them curiously, him and his fiance had only been here for the year, not knowing the full past behind the others. “What do you mean?”

Sehyoon’s dad wrapped his arm around his wife and smiled. “A found family. I think they’ve already gone and found theirs.” 

The moon rose as the sun set and the parents all thanked whatever was out there that their sons knew love, love that ran so deep it connected them beyond blood. 

\---

The boys had all gathered around Mrs. Park’s large rocking chair, blankets covering their small bodies and keeping them warm by the fire burning in the living room. They pushed as close as they could to each other, smiling with their teeth showing. 

Byeongkwan whispered something in Junhee’s ear and they both giggled, Donghun looked at them and rolled his eyes. Donghun, even at eight, was starting to mellow out. Junhee and Byeongkwan were as hyper as ever. 

Sehyoon watched his friends as his mom came from the kitchen and handed them cups of juice and small bowls of popcorn. Mrs. Park settled in her chair and fluffed up the pillows as she leaned back against it and crossed her legs. 

She bent down, elbow on her knee and smiled at the boys as they squirmed on the floor and got comfortable. She winked at them as Mrs. Kim brought her a thick book that she placed face down on her lap. She kept up her smile and eyed all of them, she could tell they were antsy for her to get started. 

Sehyoon sat up straight as she brought up a hand to her chin to tap a finger against it. She looked up to the ceiling, thinking about what she wanted to ask the boys. Her eyes got wide as she made an “aha”. “Who can summarize what happened in the last-” 

She was interrupted by a small sound coming from the bedroom doorway - a quiet sob let out of the darkness. Yuchan was cuddled up in a blanket hugging the door to the room, a pout on his face as a few tears streaked his cheeks. 

Mrs. Kim rushed over to him and picked him up, he stuck a finger in his mouth as he laid his head on her shoulder. She whispered to him softly, he nodded his head and buried his face in her neck. 

Sehyoon felt a bit bad for Channie, he was still only four and couldn’t listen to the story that they were about to read. He had felt left out, but Sehyoon knew that they’d make him feel better tomorrow. 

Mrs. Kim patted Yuchan’s back and swayed him back and forth as she stood in the doorway. Yuchan’s eyes quickly drooped and he was asleep within the minute. Everyone in the living room waiting for the boy to fall asleep. 

Mrs. Kim walked both of them to the couch, she sat down on the cushions with a fast asleep Yuchan in her arms and rocked him. She hummed under her breath as the boy’s breathing completely steadied. 

Sehyoon smiled at him, Yuchan was still a baby, he wasn’t a big boy like them yet. He turned his attention back to Mrs. Park as she put a finger to her lips signaling them to stay as quiet as possible. 

She then pulled the book in her lap so that they could see the cover. All of the boys let out a silent cheer, Byeongkwan threw his head back with his arms up. No sound came out of his mouth but his excitement shone through, Sehyoon smiled at his best friend. 

Mrs. Park giggled quietly, “Now where were we? Oh, yes! Who can summarize how the last book ended?” She waited patiently for the boys to think, she put her finger back to her chin and tapped. “Remember what summarize means, tell me all the important details.”

Sehyoon shot his hand up quickly, he did his best to answer correctly as he was learning about how to summarize books in school. “Harry, Ron, and Hermione went back to Hogwarts but this time they didn’t fight Voldemort.” He felt Byeongkwan fake gasp next to him at the name.

He smiled at the boy next to him and bumped his shoulder, he kept explaining. “They found out that Sirius Black escaped Azkaban and once they got to Hogwarts he broke in. The whole book was about them trying to find him and keep Harry safe but they find out that he’s actually Harry’s Godfather and they help him escape.” Sehyoon ended excitedly, he had loved the third Harry Potter book, he was even able to read a lot of it on his own now. 

Mrs. Park gave him a thumbs up. “You’re right Sehyoon! Now, this next one is a little bit darker, that’s why we waited until the adults read it to read it to you guys. We read as fast as possible.” She giggled softly and started to open the book. “Now, this one can get a bit scary but I promise you’ll really like it.” 

Sehyoon felt Byeongkwan scoot a little closer to him and saw Junhee do the same to Donghun. Sehyoon wrapped an arm around his friend and pulled him close, he leaned down to whisper in his ear. “It’s okay Kwannie, remember it’s just a book.” 

Byeongkwan looked up at him, his eyes getting bigger. “I’m not scared for me Sehyoonie, I just hope that Harry doesn’t get scared.” 

Sehyoon nodded his head sagely. He could understand that. “Harry will be okay, he always makes it out. He’s really brave.” Byeongkwan nodded his head and settled into Sehyoon’s side. 

Mrs. Park opened the book to the first chapter and showed them the page, “The Riddle House, Chapter 1.” Mrs. Park started to read. The boys were completely silent, leaning into hear her voice. She got quiet with the words and pushed the sounds out in different voices. 

Sehyoon couldn’t take his eyes away from her, she read to them like it was a movie being played and they were an adoring audience, enraptured by what they were seeing. She read until the sun was sleeping and the moon had risen for the night. 

She finished chapter four and right as she read the title for the next one she closed the book and set it back in her lap. She leaned back in her chair and smiled at the boys, “Until we see Harry next time.” She winked at the boys as all their mouths dropped open. 

Junhee got up from the floor and clung onto his mom’s lap, “Noooooo” he whined, “You can’t do that to us, Mom you have to keep going please.” 

Junhee’s mom brushed his hair back and smiled softly. “I’ll continue tomorrow night don’t you worry. Actually, I was hoping Donghun or Sehyoon would help me continue. You boys are such good readers I thought we could switch off reading sometimes.”

Donghun shook his head up and down. “Oh, that would be awesome. I can’t wait to scare you guys with my Voldemort voice.” He laughed a bit maniacally and Sehyoon rolled his eyes and pushed him to the ground. 

Sehyoon smiled at Mrs. Park. “I would love to get to read, I would get to know what’s happening first.” Donghun pushed at him and they both fell to the ground laughing. He felt himself hit Junhee’s leg and looked up at the other boy pouting. 

“What’s wrong Junhee-ah, you look sad.” Sehyoon frowned back at Junhee and he saw Donghun do the same out of the corner of his eye. 

Junhee crossed his arms and huffed. “I want to read too, why can’t I?” Junhee’s mom cooed at him and pinched his cheeks. 

“Of course you can read too if you want to sweetie, it’s just the last time you didn’t want to read out loud.” Junhee’s mom watched as her son did his best to come up with a response.

Junhee put a finger up in the air when he had come up with one. “I was only in 1st grade last time, now I’m halfway through 2nd grade and am reading a lot better, so I can do it now.” 

Mrs. Park smiled brightly at him and patted him on the cheek. “I’m so proud of you baby, you three can read all you want, but for now it’s time for bed.” All the boys groaned at the announcement but dutifully started to pick up their blankets. 

They trudged their way to Junhee’s room, the space already set up for them to sleep that night. Sehyoon picked up his blanket and started to walk behind Junhee and Donghun but he stopped when he didn’t feel Byeongkwan at his side. 

He looked back and saw his friend sitting on his knees on the floor running his hands over the book on the chair. Sehyoon walked back over to him, throwing his blanket over his shoulder, forming it into a cape. 

He bent down when he got to Byeongkwan and caught his attention. “What’s wrong Kwannie, your smile is gone.” 

Byeongkwan looked up at him and shrugged. “I can’t read as good as you or Donghun or even Junhee, I can read better than Yuchan but that’s because he’s still a baby.” 

Sehyoon patted Byeongkwan on the shoulder. “It’s okay Kwannie, you are a really good reader, you’ll be able to read Harry Potter soon I promise.”

Byeongkwan’s frown started to waver as he looked at Sehyoon. “You really think so Sehyoonie?”

Sehyoon nodded as he helped Byeongkwan gather his blanket and they stood up, he grabbed Byeongkwan’s hand, knowing that the other boy took comfort in it. “I do and if you want, you can read with me when I read, I’ll help you.”

Byeongkwan hugged Sehyoon, throwing his arms around his neck. “You’re the bestest friend Sehyoonie.” Sehyoon laughed and hugged him back before pulling away. He dragged Byeongkwan to Junhee’s room, the younger boy whining about not being tired. 

Once they had settled in Junhee’s room, Sehyoon listened as all the others breathed steadily in their sleep. Sehyoon couldn’t quite fall asleep yet, he was still thinking about the book, about how Harry had all these adventures and friends. 

Sehyoon had good friends, he wasn’t jealous of Harry for that, he wanted to be like Harry in the fact that he was a hero and that he got to go on adventures and fight evil. Sehyoon wanted to fight evil, he wanted to be brave and he wanted to protect his friends like Harry. 

He looked over at them all and saw them in the dark, he would do anything to always keep them safe. He would be like Harry and always be brave for them. 

\----

Sehyoon pulled at the collar of his shirt, it was making him feel itchy, he didn’t like it. He also didn’t like the tie that was around his neck either. Junhee and Donghun looked just as uncomfortable as he felt. 

They were pulling at their ties and dress pants just as much as Sehyoon was; they didn’t like stuffy clothes and these were the stuffiest. He heard Donghun whine as his mom came into their room and start messing with their clothes. 

He whined as she pulled on his tie and tightened it. “Mom, please can we wear something else? I hate these clothes, I can’t even play soccer in them.”

His mom raised an eyebrow at him as she worked on making sure his collar was laid down flat. “Well mister, I sure hope you aren’t playing soccer in these clothes, you’ll be in big trouble if I even get a whiff of a grass stain.”

Donghun started pushing at her hands as Junhee giggled off to the side. Donghun’s mom eyed him up and walked over to him, her hands already out. Junhee’s eyes got wide as she reached for him and smirked. “Now, what do you think you’re laughing at. Same goes to you - if I see one of these buttons undone or this tie moved I will have both of you cleaning for days.” 

Donghun and Junhee both whined out at the same time, kicking their feet on the bed and annoying Mrs. Lee. Sehyoon sat in his chair and sat up as straight as he could, he kept his hands away from his suit. 

Mrs. Lee looked over at him as she was done with Junhee, said boy letting out a sigh of relief that she was done but he didn’t dare touch his clothes. Sehyoon’s eyes got wide as Mrs. Lee zeroed in on him. 

She walked over to him and leaned down to inspect his clothes. She brushed a hand over both his shoulders and lifted his chin. She smiled at him sweetly and patted his cheek. “Now, that’s a good young man. Thank you Sehyoon for being nice to those clothes of yours.” She said it as she swiveled to the other two in the room, Donghun hid behind his hands and Junhee seemed to think the ceiling was the most interesting part of the room. 

Sehyoon hid a smile behind his hands and giggled as the door to the room opened. It was Sehyoon’s dad, his hands brushing down the front of his shirt, his suit jacket hanging over his arm. 

“So are we ready then.” He addressed Donghun’s mom and she nodded at him. “Okay boys let’s load up the cars, we need to be at the venue in the next 30 minutes if we want to make sure everyone is on time.” 

The boys all nodded and rushed to get up from their seats and out the door, they all really wanted this to be over with so they could get out of the suits and into some better clothes or even go play the new video games Yuchan had got for his birthday. 

They ran to the car but skidded to a halt when they saw the look on Mrs. Kim, Sehyoon’s mom, and Mr. Park’s faces. They all stopped running and bowed their heads at their parents. They walked to the car this time and did their best not to attract any attention. 

They all got into the car that Mr. Kim was driving and squished together in the backseat. Sehyoon looked out the window as they pulled out of the driveway. He was excited to watch Byeongkwan and Yuchan’s parents get married, but just like his best friends he would rather be out playing in the backyard. 

Sehyoon didn’t know exactly where the wedding was, his parent’s had said it was a surprise. When they pulled up to a parking lot Sehyoon knew well, he gasped. He could see white and pink streaming above him. 

Up on their hill looking out over the water, his parents and his friends parents had set up a field of white. They had all gone out this morning while Yuchan and Byeongkwan’s mom and dad watched them. The rest of the parents had taken up the task to decorate. 

Sehyoon stumbled out of the car. He couldn’t see much but he could see an arch at the top of their hill, cascading with white ribbon and lit up with twinkling lights and beautiful pink daisies. 

It wasn’t dark outside yet but the sun would be setting soon and Sehyoon thought about how beautiful the ocean would look. He looked over at Byeongkwan getting out of his parent’s car. 

The younger boy lifted his chin up to the sky and Sehyoon could see him breathing in the smell of the ocean. He smiled as Byeongkwan opened his eyes and spotted him. He was full of the younger’s limbs in a matter of seconds. 

\----

After they climbed the hill Sehyoon could really see all that their parents had done. Sehyoon had never seen anything like it. The image stuck in his head and he wished he could draw it. 

Byeongkwan was giggling next to him quietly. He leaned over to Sehyoon as they waited off to the side where the service would take place. 

There were chairs set up on the flat surface of the hill. White shiny fold out ones tied with pretty pink ribbons. The arch at the front perfectly framed the waves crashing along the shore. It was cold but not cold enough to allow for jackets. 

Sehyoon looked around in awe as guests started to wander up the hill, he saw plenty of people gasping and smiling at the scene. Their parents were greeting friends, family and guests as they walked by. 

Byeongkwan’s mom was not spotted, they had rented a hotel right along the beach and Sehyoon’s mom and Donghun’s mom had driven over there to help her into her dress. Sehyoon knew she would look beautiful. She was always filled with so much love. 

His other friends were running around the field, Donghun and Junhee were taking turns running with Yuchan on their back. Sehyoon could hear his giggles floating through the air even from where he was standing. 

He felt a touch on his hand and looked down at Byeongkwan. The boy looked excited but a little nervous. “I’m so ready!” He said while trying to contain his bouncing. “Me and Channie are going to finally be real brothers. And my parents are going to go away for a whole week and I get to stay with you and have sleepovers every night. Aren’t you excited Sehyoon?”

Sehyoon was excited. He got to spend the whole week with Byeongkwan and Yuchan in his house, always ready to play with him. 

Sehyoon nodded his head at the other and smiled. Before he could get a word out, Byeongkwan started speaking again. “I’m not scared at all, nope, none. I mean my parents have never left us for more than a night before but it will be okay. And I’m not scared about being the ring bear-eer.”

Sehyoon giggled softly. “You mean ring bearer?”

Byeongkwan nodded back up at him excitedly. “Yes, that. But also what if I trip and fall or if I lose the ring. My parents would be so sad.” 

Sehyoon threw an arm around the boy’s shoulder. “You’ll do great Kwannie, I believe in you. And we’re gonna have so so much fun while your parents are gone. I promise. You won’t have time to miss them.” 

Byeongkwan reached over and hugged Sehyoon tight. He mumbled a thanks into the older’s chest. His cheeks were flushed from the wind when he pulled away. They were the shade of the flowers Sehyoon kept wanting to touch. 

He whispered again to his best friend. “Everything is going to go great. Just don’t accidentally throw the ring into the ocean.” 

Byeongkwan looked up at him with a look that almost scared Sehyoon. He realized what the look meant. He took off before the younger could tackle him to the ground. 

\----

Byeongkwan didn’t drop the ring or fall down, he walked down the aisle smiling so brightly that the guests couldn’t stop gushing about how cute he was. He drank all the attention up. Sehyoon could see his chin lifting high from where he was sitting at the front of the guests. 

Yuchan threw flower petals like he was made for it, as he twirled through the aisle. He went to stand next to Byeongkwan and their father at the front. He had flower petals stuck to his suit and somehow had gotten some in his hair. 

Byeongkwan’s mom walked down the aisle and everyone gasped. Sehyoon had always thought she was strong, but he watched her walk down the aisle barefoot with a flowing white dress and thought about how he wanted to grow up to have the strength that she held. 

She walked with her back straight and a bouquet in her hands. She didn’t have anyone walk down the aisle with her, she just had all her friends standing up at the front supporting her as she met them at the altar. 

Sehyoon smiled throughout the whole wedding. He watched Byeongkwan doing his best to stand still and tall, not messing with his suit. He watched Yuchan as he leaned against his father’s leg and couldn’t help his excited yells from escaping his mouth. 

When Byeongkwan handed his father the rings he looked like he was about to cry. And when he watched Yuchan’s dad place the ring on his mother’s finger, he couldn’t help but let tears roll down his cheeks. 

When they kissed all the kids made grossed out sounds except for Byeongkwan, the minute that they announced that they were married the younger rushed at his parents and started to sob. Yuchan’s dad, his dad picked him up and cradled him to his chest. Their mom did the same thing with Yuchan. 

They all walked down the aisle together, tears in their eyes. Sehyoon felt a tear slip down his cheek and smiled. 

\----

The reception was them folding up the chairs and putting them in the trunks of many different cars and then bringing out a boombox and blasting songs as the sun dropped from the sky. 

The boys danced out in the grass barefoot, their suit jackets thrown towards their parents. They had sandwiches and punch for dinner out on picnic blankets and they ran in the moonlight. The fairy lights their parents had set up on posts around the hill lit up the land like tiny fireflies. 

Sehyoon held Byeongkwan’s hand in one of his and Junhee in another. Donghun was on Junhee’s other side and Yuchan was grasping onto him and Byeongkwan. 

They all danced together as Destiny’s Child floated through the speakers. They twirled each other and danced silly to the music. There were no rules tonight, they could be free to play and have as much fun as they wanted. 

At one point Sehyoon watched Byeongkwan walk over to the other side of the hill to look out of the ocean. The younger looked sleepy - it was way past their bedtime. He stumbled with his tiny feet over to his best friend. 

He took a seat next to Byeongkwan who had plopped down on the grass. The younger was playing with it, pulling up fistfulls and blowing them out into the air. Sehyoon smiled as he listened to the ocean and the noise of the party behind him. 

“Yoonie?” Byeongkwan said in a small voice after a little bit of time. 

“Ya, Kwannie?” Sehyoon responded trying to catch the tiny fireflies that were coming out into the night. 

“Do you think that this time will be different?” Byeongkwan looked over at him and Sehyoon was surprised to see tears trying not to fall. 

“What do you mean different Kwan, what’s wrong?” Sehyoon wanted to pull the younger closer to him, so he did. 

Byeongkwan buried himself into the hug. “Last time my mommy got married, it was bad. Yuchan’s mom went to heaven. My daddy disappeared.”

Sehyoon didn’t know what to say. He knew he was older than Byeongkwan but not by much, he didn’t understand why that had happened to his friends. He told the younger all he could. “It’s going to be perfect this time and unlike last time you have me and Junhee and Donghun and a new brother.” 

Byeongkwan pulled back and smiled at him. “You’re right. It’s going to be happy this time.” 

The younger leaned away from Sehyoon and stood up. He pushed out his hand towards Sehyoon and he took it. He stood up with the other but before they walked back to their friends Byeongkwan looked out at the ocean. 

“I want to be able to swim in the ocean.” He pretended to make his way down the other side of the hill before Sehyoon grabbed him and yelled about how it was too cold. 

Byeongkwan giggled as he jumped on the older’s back and Sehyoon walked them back to their friends’. 

\----

A little bit later all the younger ones were scattered around the castle on the hill, it was dark and they were all very tired. Their parents had dragged them over to the castle and told them they had a surprise. 

The boys sat there with droopy eyes waiting as their parents moved around. Finally they were told to close their eyes. Sehyoon put his small hands over his, after a couple seconds he saw light flash behind them. 

They were told to open their eyes. Sehyoon pulled his hands away. He gasped at what he saw. 

There were fairy lights lighting up the castle in a way that made it more magical than it had ever been. There were flowers littered around the bottom and some thrown around the floors of the castle. 

Sehyoon stood up slowly as his friends rushed it. He looked on in awe at what he saw. He felt something bloom in his chest. He knew that feeling, he’d felt it the first time they had been shown the castle and his dad told him to fill it up with love. 

The others were inside the castle screaming and running around playing when Sehyoon walked in. Donghun came up to him, smiling brightly. “Isn’t this so cool Yoonie.”

He nodded at his friend as Donghun ran over to wrestle Junhee to the ground, laughing the whole time. It was cool. Sehyoon had the same feeling he did when he saw the wedding decorations, he wanted to draw it. 

\----

The Kang-Kim’s went on their honeymoon a couple weeks after the wedding. All Byeongkwan and Yuchan knew was that it was somewhere on a beach and they were super jealous they couldn’t go with their parents. 

Although they were only going to be gone for a week, the boys were already missing them and it hadn’t even been an hour since they had left. 

Both of the siblings were standing at the window staring at where their parents had taken off in their car. Junhee’s parents had taken them to the airport so that they didn’t have to leave the car there. 

Byeongkwan’s face was smushed against the window, doing his best to will his parents back. He thought it would be cool to stay with Sehyoon for a whole week - and it would be - he just wished his parents were here too. 

Sehyoon walked up to Byeongkwan and smiled at him. “It’ll be okay Kwannie, they’ll be back before you know it. I have so many cool things planned that we can do.” 

Byeongkwan looked over at the older and brought up his hand. “You pinky promise that everything will be awesome and the best.”

Sehyoon giggled and locked his pinky with Byeongkwan. “I promise.” 

Byeongkwan smiled brightly and bounced expectantly. He tilted his head at Sehyoon and gave him a look. “Well?” He drawled out the l’s in the word. 

Sehyoon looked at him confused for a second before he went into action. “Oh, well first we can play games or my mommy said we can make cookies with her or we can play Pokemon or ride over to Junhee and Donghun’s and play games with them or we can go to the park or…” Sehyoon trailed off as they made their way away from the window. 

Byeongkwan had already started to forget how much he was missing his parents. 

\----

The week was a blast. Byeongkwan woke up and got to eat breakfast with his best friend and brother and always ended the night getting to see their faces right before he fell asleep. He wanted to live with them forever. 

They spent most of their time with Junhee and Donghun. They played every game that they knew, rode bikes to the park and played tag. Byeongkwan was finally able to show Sehyoon how to do a cartwheel correctly; he had clapped for Sehyoon so hard when the other landed on his feet. 

They pushed each other on the swings and Donghun showed him how to jump off of them. He had rolled around so much he had mulch everywhere on his jacket. 

Yuchan chased after them the whole time, he was 5 now and could keep up with them. Byeongkwan never stopped smiling that week except for once, when he realized he had to go to gymnastics and his parents wouldn’t be there to watch him. 

Sehyoon’s mom was putting his coat on him over his gymnastics clothes and buttoning him up when he sniffled. She looked up at him in surprise. 

“What’s wrong honey?” She had a pout on her lip, Byeongkwan wanted her to hug him so he fell into her, happy when she wrapped her arms around him. 

“I’m sad. Mommy and Daddy always come to watch me at practice. They won’t be able to see me. What if I finally get my backhandspring or land my vault. They won’t know.”

Sehyoon’s mom laughed softly and rubbed his back. “I have an idea.” She said as she pulled away. She stood up and walked over to a drawer in the living room and pulled out a camcorder. She walked back over to him and waved it slightly for him to see. “I’ll video you the whole time, they can watch it when they come back. How does that sound?”

Byeongkwan didn’t say anything just nodded his head vigorously. 

\----

Sehyoon’s parents piled the brothers and Sehyoon into their car. They played games until they made it to the gym. When they jumped out of the car Byeongkwan crashed into more than one body. He looked to see Junhee and Donghun clinging onto him. 

“Hey, I can’t wait to watch you do gymnastics! We’ve never seen you practice before.” Junhee said as he grabbed one of Byeongkwan’s hands and started to pull him towards the entrance of the gym. 

“Why are you here?” Byeongkwan said excitedly as Donghun stuck his hands in his pockets and walked backwards so he could look at the younger. 

“We wanted to come and watch you. It’s not like we had anything else to do anyways.” Donghun’s mom scoffed at that and scooped him up and threw him over her shoulder. The others laughed as he resigned himself to his fate. 

What Byeongkwan didn’t know, was that Sehyoon had politely called both Junhee and Donghun’s parents and told them that they had to come to Byeongkwan’s practice because he was sad about his parents. They hadn’t objected one bit. 

The whole family sat and watched as the second youngest tumbled and did the different events. Sehyoon had seen him practice a couple times but he had gotten a lot better even since then. He watched in awe as his best friend flipped around the gym.   
Donghun and Junhee watched, but they had also brought cards and were playing battle during the practice. 

The practice was long and felt like it took forever - when he asked his mom how long it was she said it had only been two hours. He threw his head back and said he couldn’t believe it, so his mom showed him on her watch. 

He was in third grade and they had just started learning how to tell time. He was proud of himself for being able to add the time from when they got there until now. He was proud he could read the clock all by himself. 

He showed Byeongkwan what he could do when they went out to open gym. Sehyoon was so excited that they got to play out in the gym with Byeongkwan, who showed them the trampoline and the foam pit. 

Sehyoon did his cartwheel on the bouncy floor and Byeongkwan clapped for him as the others watched him, a bit jealous they couldn’t do it too. 

They raced on the track and Byeongkwan showed them how he could now do his handspring by himself on the trampoline. His coach was standing off to the side with a proud smile on his face. 

The best part to Sehyoon though was the high bar that dropped down into the foam pit. It was a big area like a swimming pool filled with big blue foam squares and when you jumped in you pretended that a shark was going to get you if you didn’t swim fast enough. 

It was hard, when they fell from the high bar they got their legs stuck and had to lounge and squirm to get out. Byeongkwan was really good at it and he won every race they had when they tried to run through the pit. 

Byeongkwan could also climb the rope all the way to the top and ring the bell. Sehyoon tried but he only got a little ways up. Donghun said he got a rope burn but he was just being whiny. Sehyoon kissed the spot on his hand anyways. 

Yuchan got to swing on the rope as Byeongkwan pushed him, his giggles filling the open gym and making them all smile. Junhee was surprisingly good at using the girl’s apparatus. He could walk on the high beam without falling off. 

Sehyoon had a blast and hoped that they could come more often. 

They were all tired on the way home; Byeongkwan fell asleep on his shoulder and Yuchan’s head fell into his lap. Sehyoon was very happy. 

On the last day that their parents were gone, Sehyoon took his bike out to show an excited but scared Byeongkwan. The younger wanted to learn how to ride a bike and so Sehyoon took it upon himself to teach him. 

The other three lined up along the sidewalk and sat down with snacks in their hands and watched as Byeongkwan learned how to ride a bike. 

Sehyoon started off by showing him how to sit and where to put his hands. Donghun screamed unhelpful input as he watched from the sidelines. Sehyoon would glare at him every time and the oldest would giggle at his face. 

Junhee helped Sehyoon when the younger wobbled on the bike when he started teaching him how to peddle. They both held the back of the bike like their dad’s did when they learned. Byeongkwan peddled slowly at first but then started to get the hang of it. 

The wind whipped through his hair as he pedaled hard, Junhee and Sehyoon following along and doing their best to keep the bike from wobbling over. 

It only took a little bit of time for Byeongkwan to want to try on his own. Sehyoon was worried he wasn’t ready but Donghun assured him that it would be okay. Yuchan looked excited where he was seated on the sidewalk. 

Byeongkwan got on the bike, Junhee and Sehyoon behind him. They helped him steady it and helped him push off. 

Byeongkwan screamed behind him for them to let him go, they did. 

The younger went for about 10 seconds before he tipped over onto the cement. They all rushed over to him on the street. He had rolled over onto his front and was holding his knee. 

Sehyoon skidded to a stop in front of him but couldn’t speak. It was Donghun that leaned down and started to talk. “Kwannie are you okay, that looked like it hurt.”

Byeongkwan’s head was down and Junhee knelt down too. “Hey, it’s okay, we all fell over so many times when we first learned.”

Byeongkwan finally looked up and Sehyoon was sure there were going to be tears in his eyes. He was right, but the younger was smiling. “That was awesome.” He said through a laugh. 

Sehyoon let out a breath and leaned down with the other’s. Yuchan had come around Byeongkwan’s other side and grabbed him in a back hug. 

Byeongkwan was still holding his knee and Sehyoon could see a scrape on his elbow. He pulled his hand away from his knee and winced when he saw blood. 

Byeongkwan laughed. “It’s okay, it doesn’t hurt that bad. I’ve had worse.” 

Sehyoon thought about how when they met Byeongkwan had been in a cast - he was right. 

Junhee stood up and stuck out a hand for Yuchan. “Let’s go get some wet rags and band aids Channie. Donghun and Sehyoon can keep Kwannie company.” 

Yuchan got up excitedly and took the older’s hand and walked with him back to the house. Junhee turned around and smiled at Byeongkwan; it was good to get Yuchan out of the way sometimes. 

Byeongkwan started to stand up, his short limbs scrambling against the concrete. 

Donghun pushed him back down. “Don’t be silly, dude. Wait until we can like, get all the dirt and blood off. It would really suck if you got more concrete in the wound.” 

Byeongkwan looked at him with one of his signature “I think that’s a stupid idea and I will do what I want” looks.

Sehyoon sat down on his back-pockets and criss crossed his legs. He pulled Byeongkwan’s leg into his lap before the younger could move. Byeongkwan protested the treatment. 

“Yoonie, it doesn’t even hurt. I’ve tripped at recess and got badder scrapes.” Byeongkwan scoffed but knew Sehyoon wasn’t going to give him his leg back, so he let him look at the scrape. 

Sehyoon examined it but didn’t touch, he twisted Byeongkwan’s leg around gently. Donghun patted his back and told him he’d live. Byeongkwan knew that. 

Sehyoon looked worried. Byeongkwan smiled at him. “Yoonie, we’ll put on a spongebob bandaid and i’ll be good as new and I can try again.” 

Sehyoon made a scowl. “I don’t think that is a good idea.” He shook his head. “We should wait for your dad to help you.” 

Byeongkwan shook his head, his hair whipping across his face. “No, i’m doing this. You can’t stop me.” 

Before Sehyoon could argue, Junhee came out with Yuchan and supplies. He sat down next to the others and used the wet rag to gently clean Byeongkwan’s scrape. It wasn’t that bad once the blood was gone. He then placed a bandaid on the worst spots and leaned down to kiss where the band aids where. He patted the other on the shoulder and Byeongkwan raced to get up. 

He picked up his bike and turned it in the other direction. Donghun got up behind him and they both looked at Sehyoon expectantly. He moved beside Donghun reluctantly. 

Byeongkwan sat up straight, put his feet on the pedals and hands on the bars. He leaned forward and then pushed off. 

He peddled and they pushed and when he said let go, they did. Byeongkwan didn’t fall this time. He flew through the street. 

\----

It was Christmas again but this time everyone was together and it was a beautiful experience for all of them. Yuchan had his birthday and grew one year older. They all celebrated with games and too much pizza.

They had a blast but Christmas day was overwhelming with happiness. They sat around the living room and played a game where you had to unwrap a present wrapped so many times you lost count - the trick was, you had to do it with oven mitts. 

They were laughing so hard by the end that the boys had tears in their eyes. The tradition would live on for years. The presents that year though, they would talk about for the rest of their lives. They shaped who they would become. 

Donghun got a really cool karaoke machine. He loved to sing and was actually very good. He had smiled so brightly when he opened up the kit. They promised to plug it in as soon as everyone else was done. 

Yuchan got a new soccer ball. He was still very young but he already told everyone he knew that he wanted to be a famous soccer player when he grew up. 

Junhee’s present was big and shiny - a new guitar. He had looked at it surprised. Junhee was learning to play; he had been showing interest in music since he started piano last year. He stared at it in wonder and stroked the strings and body. He held it almost the whole night. 

Sehyoon had been given multiple items. He passed one out to each of his friends when his parents said they were a set and let them each open one. 

“On three.” He told them and then counted down. “1 -”, Byeongkwan looked impatient as he waited. “2 -”, Junhee and Donghun were leaning forward excited. “3 -”Yuchan tore into the present before he had finished saying the number. 

Sehyoon looked down at what was in his lap. It was a sketchbook, heavy and black sitting in his lap. The others looked at the present in their lap. Junhee had colored pencils, but not the ones you bought at the convenience store. They looked nice, ones you might buy at an art store. 

Donghun held up a disposable camera. The click of the lens going off as he took one of Sehyoon’s stunned face. Yuchan had brushes in his hand. They were of varying sizes and shapes. And Byeongkwan had a set of paints. Vibrant colors that would burst with life on paper. 

Sehyoon looked at his parents stunned. His mom got down on her knees next to him, his father smiling on the couch behind her. “Your teacher showed us all the drawings you were doing at school. They were very good Sehyoon. You have a natural talent. She told us that every time she caught you drawing you had a smile on your face and she never wanted to have to stop you.” 

His mom looked back at his father and then back to him. They looked at Sehyoon patiently for his reaction. 

He lunged at his mother and hugged her tightly. She buried her face in his neck and let out a laugh. “So I'm assuming you like it?”

Sehyoon nodded his head, muttering out a yes. He was trying hard not to cry. He loved to draw and his parents knew that now. 

Byeongkwan’s present caused a high-pitched scream to come out of the boy. When he opened his present he had been very confused. It was huge and his dad told him to open it very carefully. The package was ripped away gently and revealed a tank. 

The problem was that there was nothing in it. What Byeongkwan hadn’t noticed yet though was his mother behind him holding something else in her hands. 

Byeongkwan stuttered in his high voice. “I don’t get it, is this a trick, what is it? I mean, I know it’s a fish tank, but it’s empty, what am I supposed to do with it?”

He rambled on and his parents laughed. Finally his mom tapped him on the shoulder. When he turned around he stared at her for a split second and then Sehyoon had to bring up his hands to cover his ears. 

His mom was holding two bags with pretty, brightly colored fish in them. Sehyoon wasn’t sure what kind they were but he liked to look at them. 

Byeongkwan wasn’t trying to grab at the bags though, he was just jumping up and down, already knowing how gentle he would need to be. 

His dad came up to them and started explaining the gift. “Sehyoon told us how much you like fish and the ocean. So, we decided that as a family we could start taking care of fish. It’s a big responsibility though. We know you’re still young but we think you can handle it.” 

Byeongkwan nodded his head and looked about ready to cry. He hugged his dad as Donghun’s dad and Sehyoon’s dad picked up the tank and brought it to the kitchen. There they showed the kids all the different things they had bought for the tank. 

They walked over to the Kang-Kim’s that night and set up the tank. Byeongkwan sat on the floor of their living room for the rest of the night and watched the fish swim around in their new home. 

Sehyoon found himself sitting next to him most of the night. 

\----

2001 (6 & 8, then 7 & 9)

The new year came and went as did February and March. The boys were doing well in school. Donghun was bragging about how he was so much older than all of them even though he was only 9. 

Byeongkwan took care of his fish and they went swimming in the ocean. He got better at riding his bike and Sehyoon learned how to do more than cartwheels at open gym with the younger. 

They were happy and everything was in its place. Sehyoon drew everything, no matter where he was. His favorite subjects to draw were his friends. 

He drew Byeongkwan sitting and staring at his fish, his mouth slightly open in awe. Donghun running around the living room singing Britney Spears in his karaoke machine. Junhee concentrating while he plucked at his guitar. Yuchan running in a field as he kicked his new soccer ball. 

He drew his family and flowers and food and whatever caught his eye.

He even drew characters from movies that he saw. Shrek came out in April and the boys had seen it in theatres more times than they could count. Donghun would sing the songs day and night and Sehyoon couldn’t stop drawing the characters from the movie. 

It was a good movie and they were obsessed. Sehyoon thought Harry Potter and Shrek, those were the things that would always be there to cheer him up. 

\----

Drawing became everything to him and at one point it got him in more trouble than he had ever been in. 

It was the end of April when things changed for everyone. Sehyoon’s parents had sat him down and told him they had news for him. 

His mom grabbed his hands as they sat on their couch, his dad sitting right behind (or beside?) his mom, one of his hands on theirs. 

“Sehyoon, baby, there’s something we need to tell you.” His mom started, Sehyoon was scared because it seemed very serious. 

Sehyoon sat up straight and gave his parents his full attention. His mom’s eyes started to water, his hands started to shake. But then she smiled wide. 

“You’re going to be a big brother honey.” His mom said it out loud but it didn’t catch in Sehyoon’s mind right away. His parents waited. 

Then he got it and his face broke out into a smile. “That is so cool. I’m going to be a big brother?”

His parents smiled at him and then he hugged them tight. He couldn’t wait, he’d always wanted a little brother or sister, he didn’t care which one. He was so excited. It lasted for a few weeks before the news started to take a toll on him. 

\----

He started to worry when his mom started showing and he couldn’t get bad thoughts out of his mind. What if his baby sibling wasn’t healthy? What if something happened to his mom? It created flair ups in Sehyoon’s anxiety. 

He drew to cope with everything that he was feeling. His parents started to get worried about him when his grades started to slip. It was the end of the year and it wasn’t like Sehyoon to not be getting perfect marks. He was smart. Very smart. 

His behavior started to slip and his teachers, who had always told him what a good student he was, were having trouble keeping his behavior under control. He didn’t know what was happening other than that drawing kept him calm. 

Sehyoon had also been taking boxing classes to deal with anger issues he’d had since he was very little. He never got in fights but at the end of the year he did. No one was teasing him but of course they had never truly laid off of Byeongkwan. He was in first grade now and the fourth graders still decided to torment him. 

Sehyoon took it upon himself to become their target. Anytime Byeongkwan was in their line of sight Sehyoon made a scene. Anytime they said a bad word about his best friend he got in their face. 

He wasn’t a troubled kid but something was causing him to become one. He kept turning to his art. 

It was all he had, at least that’s what he felt like. He suffered a panic attack at the end of the year when his mom had to go to the hospital because they had found something wrong. His parents were very open with him but he wasn’t allowed to go to the hospital with them. 

He stayed with Byeongkwan’s family. He had accidentally left his sketch pad at his house and before he could even think of a simple solution, he started to lose his breath. He couldn’t suck in air fast enough. 

Byeongkwan had come up to him and grabbed his hand and squeezed before he saw that Sehyoon wasn’t getting air. He screamed for his parents as tears left his eyes. Sehyoon’s head was fuzzy and all he could think was that his sketch pad wasn’t here to calm him and his mom was hurting. 

Byeongkwan’s mom rushed to him and got down on her knees and put his hand to her chest and asked him to breathe with her. He finally got his breathing under control he collapsed in her arms. He felt Byeongkwan crawl into his lap. 

He hadn’t known what was happening but his parents knew almost right away. Byeongkwan never left his side that summer, he only did when Sehyoon was taken once a week to talk to a nice lady that his parents called a therapist. 

He understood that she was there to talk to him about his panic attack and how to keep it from happening. 

“So Sehyoon, I know that you love to draw. Is there anything else that you really like?” The lady, Mrs. Soo asked him after he had been seeing her for about a month. 

“Uhm…” He ran a hand through his hair as he thought. “I really like to build things. I like to draw them and then build them with leggos.” He shrugged when he told her. 

“Oh, that is really cool. Did you know that adults do that too? They don’t use legos, but they build with wood and bricks and stone.” She said as Sehyoon leaned forward in his chair. 

Sehyoon’s eyes widened. He knew that there were people that had to build houses and schools and offices but he didn’t connect that with what he did for fun. “Really?”

Mrs. Soo nodded her head. “Oh yeah. It’s called architecture and the people that build things are architects.” Sehyoon had heard that before. She kept telling him about it. “It’s really awesome that you are interested in that. So when do you like to build your legos and draw?”

Sehyoon kicked his legs, his feet skidding on the carpet. “When I’m feeling worried about mom and my little sister. She has had to go to the hospital a lot because she’s been sick. It scares me because I don’t really understand why and I want to help but I can’t. So, instead I draw.” 

Mrs. Soo smiled at him softly and grabbed one of his hands. “Do you know that being worried and scared can cause you to have a panic attack, we talked about what that meant last time I saw you.” Sehyoon nodded his head to show that he remembered.

“Next time you feel like you can’t breathe or that something is pressing on your chest, think about what your next lego building is going to be. How tall will it be? What color? How many rooms? Build it in your mind and don’t let it go until things stop being fuzzy.” She rubbed a thumb along his hand and he felt calm rush through him. 

“Is there anything else that makes you feel better?” She asked him as she pulled away. 

Sehyoon looked down at the floor and then looked back at her. “Yeah, my friends. Especially Byeongkwan. I like to sit and watch the fish with him. He also holds my hand when I’m scared and hugs me.”

She smiled and whispered. “He sounds like a good friend. When you’re scared or worried I bet he’s scared for you too. Let him know that he helps you by holding your hand and hugging you. Tell him that watching the fish helps too.” 

Sehyoon nodded slowly to show understanding and then watched her as she looked at the clock. “I’m sorry Sehyoon but I think you have to go now, thank you for trusting me today.” 

He told her goodbye as she walked him out to his parents. 

\----

Byeongkwan never let him sit with his sadness alone. When he was scared about his mom, he sat and held his hand as they watched the fish. 

When he got sad about his baby sister - sometimes he was worried he would be forgotten - Byeongkwan would tell him to draw the fish he was describing right at that moment. 

Donghun would sing to him as Junhee played on the guitar. They weren’t very good or in sync but Sehyoon thought it sounded wonderful. 

Yuchan smiled at him and Sehyoon felt better. 

The best though, was when he was feeling upset and Byeongkwan would help him build with his legos. The younger always wanted to build an aquarium so that’s what they did. 

Sehyoon drew out what he learned were blueprints - that’s what they called the drawings that architects did before they actually build a building. Byeongkwan put in all his ideas too and Sehyoon laid them out on a big piece of paper his dad got him. 

They labeled everything. Sehyoon doing his best to spell things correctly and keep his handwriting neat. Byeongkwan helped him color it and then build it. 

It was well into october when they finished it. It was gigantic and barely fit on Sehyoon’s dresser. 

He had asked his parents for more legos for his birthday and more paints. They agreed to get them for him and Byeongkwan had gotten a brilliant idea. 

The colors of the legos were all off so they painted them the colors they wanted. Sehyoon got a book on origami and found out how to make really shaky and crumbly fish to put in the aquarium. They placed people in the building and set up trees and then named their project. 

Well, Byeongkwan named it. The Kwan Ocean Academy, K.O.A for short. Sehyoon didn’t mind; he had done it for Byeongkwan anyways. 

The aquarium sat on his dresser that year and every time he was feeling sad he would look at it and smile. It helped him remember the way Byeongkwan’s small hands helped him fit all the pieces together, how he helped label everything and came up with ideas. 

It reminded him of how Junhee would sit in the room while they worked and strum on his guitar, how Donghun had taken up writing. His teachers were impressed with his poetry from day one. 

Yuchan would sit and color in his coloring book or sit with Donghun and have him help him read his small books. 

It was a happy building, full of happy memories. He knew exactly what he would build next when he thought of it that way. 

\----

He got started on his new lego project in November; it was a castle. It was something he would work on for years to come but he didn’t know that yet. Didn’t know what the blueprints would mean to him in the end. 

He was working on coloring one part of the castle, when he heard a crash in his living room one November morning. They were home from school that day, a random holiday. He ran out of his room to see his mom leaning against the kitchen table. 

Her dress was wet and her face was squished up like she was in pain. She saw Sehyoon and called him over. 

“Sehyoon, baby. I need you to run to…” She stopped and breathed. “Go get Byeongkwan and Yuchan’s mom please.” She picked up the phone after she got it out. 

He didn’t know what was going on but he knew when his mother needed for him to do something. He raced out the door. He didn’t bother knocking, he didn’t need to. He ran inside the house and crashed into Mrs. Kang-Kim. 

She grabbed him by the arms and told him that he needed to calm down. He started to speak in harsh breaths. “My mom told me to get you, something is wrong. You need to hurry.” 

Sehyoon saw Byeongkwan coming down the stairs with Yuchan in tow. It was still early in the morning and they hadn’t made their way over to his house yet. 

Their mom looked at him for a second and he saw when it clicked for her. She let out a huff of air and then released a swear word that the boys pretended they didn’t hear. She grabbed her purse and keys and told the boys to follow her. 

She raced out her door and locked it behind her. They ran over to Sehyoon’s house and their mom slammed into the living room. 

She went up to Sehyoon’s mom and brushed the hair from her forehead. “Hey, how you feeling?” She laughed as Sehyoon’s mom looked at her like she wanted to say some curse words too. “Okay, not good let’s get you to the hospital now.” 

Mrs. Kang-Kim got Sehyoon’s mom up from the chair and started walking her to the door. She turned around at Sehyoon with bright eyes. “Congratulations, Yoonie, you’re about to be a brother. Go grab the big purple bag by your parent’s bedroom door.”

Sehyoon was too shocked to move, he felt a hand push between his shoulder blades. Byeongkwan spurred him into action. He ran to grab the bag as the rest of them made their way to the car. 

The bag was heavy but he could handle it, he was 9 now. He could do this, he could… He looked toward his room and closed his eyes. He imagined the aquarium, he went through the parts of it in his head. He breathed out and then ran out to the car. 

\----

The kids had to stay outside of the hospital room with the other parents as his mom gave birth to his baby sister. His dad had showed up around the same time they made it to the hospital. He had kissed Sehyoon on the forehead and then his mom. 

It had been a very long time since his parents had entered the hospital room. The waiting room was getting very boring. He grabbed at Junhee’s dad’s watch and looked at the hands slowly. He counted out the time. 

Junhee’s dad just let him patiently. He counted over 4 hours that they had been sitting there. They had gotten lunch, plenty of snacks and two out of the five of them were spread out on chairs passed out, taking a nap. 

Donghun and Junhee were playing a game of cards on the tiles near the chairs in the lobby. Sehyoon kept hold of Mr. Park’s watch. He looked down at his lap and felt Mr. Park grab his hand in his. 

He leaned down to whisper in Sehyoon’s ear. “It’s all going to be alright Sehyoon. Your mom is one of the strongest people I have ever met and your little sister is going to be a very healthy little girl.” 

Mr. Park pulled him into a hug and he curled up in his warmth. He had known him since before he could remember. It didn’t matter which parent out of them gave them a hug, kiss on the cheek or a pat on the back. It was all the same, it was comfort and safety. 

Eventually Byeongkwan came over to him, blanket wrapped around his shoulders and curled up in the chair next to him, his head falling on Sehyoon’s shoulder. Sehyoon finally let himself relax and fell asleep to Mr. Park and Byeongkwan’s soft breathing. 

\----

He was woken up to a soft touch to his cheek. He opened his eyes and blinked his dad into vision. For a second he didn’t move and then when he realized who was in front of him he jumped up out of his seat. 

“How is mom? Is she okay? Is my baby sister okay? What’s going on? Why did it take so long?” Sehyoon rushed out all the questions. 

His dad put up his hands in a hold on stance. “Everyone is okay Yoonie, sometimes these things take a while. I was just wondering if you wanted to meet your baby sister?”

Sehyoon looked up at him, eyes huge and nodded his head as fast as he could. His dad laughed and grabbed his hand. 

The others waited in the waiting room, Sehyoon wished they could come in with him. 

When he walked into the hospital room he first spotted his mom. She was sweaty and looked very tired. Sehyoon thought she was beautiful and strong. 

In her arms was a bundle of pink, it was wriggling and he could see tiny hands peeking out of the blanket. He walked in wide-eyed and as quiet as possible. 

His mom beamed at him and lifted up his baby sister for him to see. “Hey, Yoonie would you like to meet your baby sister?”

He nodded, still not speaking. He sat down in a chair when his dad guided him to. His dad picked up his sister and showed him how to hold her. When she was placed in his arms he knew one thing for sure, he would always protect her no matter what. 

He looked at her and smiled as she blinked up at him. “Hi, I’m your big brother Yoonie. I love you.” 

\----  
When his dad walked out with his sister to meet the others he was smiling so hard his cheeks hurt. He watched Byeongkwan and the others walk up slowly, their parents behind them. 

His dad kneeled down on one knee so that everyone could see. Sehyoon saw Byeongkwan’s eyes and heard him gasp. He smiled at his best friend. 

He couldn’t keep anything in, he was so happy. He laughed as he introduced her. “Guys, I want you to meet my baby sister. Eunsuh.”

\----

The castle on the hill was filled with love beyond what it could hope for. Eunsuh was in Sehyoon’s lap gurgling at him as the other’s played around him. 

He was just outside the castle, it was daylight and his parents were sitting right next to him. 

Byeongkwan came to sit down opposite him. Byeongkwan rubbed a finger across her hand and Eunsuh grabbed it tight. 

She was strong and tough and her favorite person in the world was Byeongkwan. Sehyoon couldn’t disagree with her though as he watched his best friend smile and look out at the ocean as his baby sister squeezed his finger. 

They were 5, 7, 8 and 9. They were starting to grow up and now Sehyoon had a new life to love. He was very happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love y'all. Please leave comments and kudos <333

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos and comments! Don't forget to go check out my twitter. Yoonseh92! I will try to update Follow you Down sometimes this week! <333


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